Dual-Stimuli-Responsive Modulation Organic Afterglow Based on N─H Proton Migration Mechanism

Abstract

Organic afterglow materials have significant applications in information security and flexible electronic devices with unique optical properties. It is vital but challenging to develop organic afterglow materials possessing controlled output with multi-stimuli-responsive capacity. Herein, dimethyl terephthalate (DTT) is introduced as a strong proton acceptor. The migration direction of N─H protons on two compounds Hs can be regulated by altering the excitation wavelength (Ex) or amine stimulation, thereby achieving dual-stimuli-responsive afterglow emission. When the Ex is below 300 nm, protons migrate to S1-2DTT, where strong interactions induce phosphorescent emission of Hs, resulting in afterglow behavior. Conversely, when the Ex is above 300 nm, protons interact with the S0DTT weakly and the afterglow disappears. In view of amine-based compounds with higher proton accepting capabilities, it can snatch proton from S1-2DTT and redirect the proton flow toward amine, effectively suppressing the afterglow but obtaining a new redshifted fluorescence emission with Δλ over 200 nm due to the high polarity of amine. Moreover, it is successfully demonstrated that the applications of dual-stimuli-responsive organic afterglow materials in information encryption based on the systematic excitation-wavelength-dependent (Ex-De) behavior and amine selectivity detection.