Luminescent switching behavior achieved by adjusting cocrystal charge transfer excitons under acid stimulation

Abstract

Herein, cocrystal materials with high-sensitivity fluorescence switches under acid stimulation have been successfully designed and prepared. Through structural, spectroscopic, and density functional theory (DFT) studies, the mixed stacking, CT interactions, and properties of the cocrystal systems have been well revealed. This study proposed an acid stimulus-responsive cocrystal system with dynamically controllable luminescence characteristics. Due to the strong electron-withdrawing effect of acidification, different acid vapors can weaken this interaction and enhance it under mechanical grinding. In particular, the response time of 3-ATC in seconds is faster than that of most stimulus-responsive cocrystals. Therefore, under the cocrystal strategy, high-sensitivity responsive fluorescent switch materials were reasonably designed, which provided new ideas and contributions for the development and promotion of new intelligent responsive materials.