Issue 7, 2021

Photo-modulated wide-spectrum chromism in Eu3+ and Eu3+/Tb3+ photochromic coordination polymer gels: application in decoding secret information

Abstract

Photo-switching emission of photochromic materials has paramount importance in the field of optoelectronics. Here, we report synthesis and characterization of a dithienylethene (DTE) based photochromic low molecular weight gelator (LMWG) and self-assembly with lanthanide (Eu3+ and Tb3+) ions to form a photochromic coordination polymer gel (pcCPG). Based on DTE ring opening and closing, the TPY-DTE gel shuttles from pale-yellow coloured TPY-DTE-O to dark blue coloured TPY-DTE-C and vice versa upon irradiating with UV and visible light, respectively, and both the photoisomers show distinct optical properties. Furthermore, integration of Eu3+ and Tb3+ lanthanides with TPY-DTE resulted in red and green emissive Eu-pcCPG (Q.Y. = 18.7% for the open state) and Tb-pcCPG (Q.Y. = 23.4% for the open state), respectively. The photoisomers of Eu-pcCPG exhibit photo-switchable spherical to fibrous reversible morphology transformation. Importantly, an excellent spectral overlap of the Eu3+ centred emission and absorption of DTE in the closed form offered photo-switchable emission properties in Eu-pcCPG based on pcFRET (energy transfer efficiency >94%). Further, owing to the high processability and photo-switchable emission, the Eu-pcCPG has been utilized as invisible security ink for protecting confidential information. Interestingly, mixed Eu3+/Tb3+ pcCPG exhibited photo-modulated multi-spectrum chromism reversibly where the colour changes from yellow, blue, and red to green and vice versa under suitable light irradiation.

Graphical abstract: Photo-modulated wide-spectrum chromism in Eu3+ and Eu3+/Tb3+ photochromic coordination polymer gels: application in decoding secret information

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
16 okt 2020
Accepted
21 dek 2020
First published
23 dek 2020
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2021,12, 2674-2682

Photo-modulated wide-spectrum chromism in Eu3+ and Eu3+/Tb3+ photochromic coordination polymer gels: application in decoding secret information

P. Verma, A. Singh and T. K. Maji, Chem. Sci., 2021, 12, 2674 DOI: 10.1039/D0SC05721E

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