Switching between TADF and RTP: anion-regulated photoluminescence in organic salts and co-crystals

Switching thermally activated delayed fluorescence to room temperature phosphorescence for oxygen sensing: Effect of donor substituents of trifluoromethylphenyl

Two compounds consisting of electron-accepting trifluoromethylphenyl moiety and electron-donating phenoxazine and phenothiazine moieties were designed and synthesized via Buchwald-Hartwig coupling reaction. Thermal, photophysical, and electrochemical properties of the compounds are discussed. Only compound with phenothiazine form molecular glass, with glass transition temperatures of 90 °C. The geometry and electronic characteristics of the compounds were substantiated within density functional theory (DFT). 10,10'-(2-(Trifluoromethyl)-1,4-phenylene)bis(10H-phenoxazine) shows efficient thermally activated delayed fluorescence with high spin-orbit coupling values. 10,10'-(2-(Trifluoromethyl)-1,4-phenylene)bis(10H-phenothiazine) as efficient room-temperature phosphor shows high oxygen sensitivity.

Sulfur Oxidation State and Substituents Influenced Multifunctional Organic Luminophores in BTP Core for OLEDs: A Computational Study on RTP, TADF Emitter and Sensitizer

The exploration of triplet excitons in thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) and room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) molecules has become a subject of significant attention and interest in recent studies. This study employed density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT theoretical methods to delve into the intricate relationship between the molecular structure and properties of molecules designed with the oxidation of sulfur atoms (S, SO, and SO2) in benzothiazinophenothiazine (BTP) core units. The calculations revealed that as the oxidation state of the sulfur atom increased, the BTP derivatives exhibited elevated ionization potentials (IPs), electron affinities (EAs), and triplet energies (ET), accompanied by reduced reorganization energies (λ), singlet energies (ES), and a S1-T1 energy gap (ΔEST). Additionally, the decrease in the exchange energy prompts a shift in the excited-state properties of molecules, transitioning them from hybridized local and charge transfer (HLCT) to charge transfer (CT) in the S1 state while maintaining their HLCT character in the T1 state. The sulfur oxidation process systematically decreases spin-orbit coupling magnitudes in the S1-T1 and T1-S0 pathways while increasing the KRISC rate, signifying a reduced propensity for phosphorescence radiative decay in oxidized molecules. Thorough investigations have explored the screening effect and orbital mixing of lone pair electrons in sulfur atoms, satisfying the desired criteria for a multifunctional RTP, TADF emitter and sensitizer.

Control of photoluminescence quantum yield and long-lived triplet emission lifetime in organic alloys

Two-component crystalline organic alloys with a wide range of compositional ratios (from 30% to 90% of one component) are employed to tune excited-state lifetimes and photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs). Alloy crystals exhibit homogeneous distribution of parent compounds by X-ray crystallography and differential scanning calorimetry. The alloys display a 1.5- to 5-fold enhancement in thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) lifetime, compared to the parent compounds. PLQYs can also be tuned by changing alloy composition. The reverse intersystem crossing and long-lived lifetime of the parent compounds give rise to long-lived TADF in the alloys. Organic alloys enable tunability of both lifetime and efficiency, providing a new perspective on the development of organic long-lived emissive materials beyond the rules established for host-guest doped systems.