Issue 10, 2022

A nonconjugated radical polymer with stable red luminescence in the solid state

Abstract

Organic radicals are unstable and stable radicals usually display non-luminescent properties. Luminescent radicals possess the all-in-one properties of optoelectronics, electronics, and magnetics. To date, the reported structures of luminescent radicals are limited to triphenylmethyl radical derivatives and their analogues, which are stabilized with extended π-conjugation. Here, we demonstrate the first example of a nonconjugated luminescent radical. In spite of the lack of delocalized π-stabilization, the radical polymer readily emits red luminescence in the solid state. A traditional luminescent quencher, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl turned into a red chromophore when grafted onto a polymer backbone. Experimental data confirm that the emission is associated with the nitroxide radicals and is also affected by the packing of the polymer. This work discloses a novel class of luminescent radicals and a distinctive pathway for luminescence from open-shell materials.

Graphical abstract: A nonconjugated radical polymer with stable red luminescence in the solid state

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
30 Janv. 2022
Accepted
12 Jūl. 2022
First published
12 Jūl. 2022

Mater. Horiz., 2022,9, 2564-2571

A nonconjugated radical polymer with stable red luminescence in the solid state

Z. Wang, X. Zou, Y. Xie, H. Zhang, L. Hu, C. C. S. Chan, R. Zhang, J. Guo, R. T. K. Kwok, J. W. Y. Lam, I. D. Williams, Z. Zeng, K. S. Wong, C. D. Sherrill, R. Ye and B. Z. Tang, Mater. Horiz., 2022, 9, 2564 DOI: 10.1039/D2MH00808D

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