Themed collection Recent Progress on Aggregation-Induced Emission

Chemically synthesized copper nanoclusters show colour-tunable emission and can be applied in catalysis, sensing, bioimaging, theranostics, and optoelectronics.

This review summarizes the recent developments of a large number of chemiluminescent lumiphores and broad ECL applications.

The special structure of AIEgens facilitates the understanding and application of polymers.

Soft material gels are important biomaterials for tissue engineering and biomedicine. Fluorescent gels possess the additional property of being light emitting, with advanced applications in sensing, bioimaging, and electrofluorochromic devices.

Pyrene shows very weak or quenched fluorescence in the solid state, but it is possible to turn it to a bright solid emitter by using aggregation-induced emission (AIE) strategies.

Mis-regulation of certain proteins and enzymes is often identified as an indicator of many pathologies, and these disease-related proteins can be used as biomarkers to diagnose disease onset and progression.

A panoramic review of the recent advances in the mechanofluorochromism of distyrylanthracene derivatives with aggregation-induced emission properties.

A panoramic review of the latest progress regarding mechano-responsive luminescence of tetraphenylethylene derivatives with aggregation-induced emission properties.

DCPE-TPA exhibits three morphologies with high quantum yields and nanoparticles of DCPE-TPA are utilized for in vivo 3PF imaging, achieving a penetration depth of 300 μm with a high resolution of 1.8 μm and a high signal-to-background ratio of 14.

An AIEgen with tunable polymorphism-dependent emission and solvent regulated crystal-to-crystal switch properties is reported. Our study has provided insight into the relationship between molecular stacking and emission properties.

Three phenyl groups of TPP derivatives affect the luminescence process in various modes. TPPs show AIE thanks to the ortho substituted groups, while meta and para groups can modulate their luminescence in different extents.

The presented work shows an impressive multicolour luminescence hyperbranched polysiloxane attributed to the multiring through-space conjugation named “multiring induced multicolor emission” (MIE), as well as its application in data encryption.

A tetraphenylethylene-functionalized salicylaldehyde Schiff-base fluorescent probe (TPE-An-Py) with aggregation-induced enhanced emission (AIEE) characteristics exhibited high sensitivity towards copper(II) ions in aqueous media with a “turn-off” fluorescence mechanism; limit of detection is 2.36 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹.

A series of novel AIEgens based on Katritzky pyridinium salts were readily synthesized and exhibited interesting aggregation-induced emission behaviors, remarkable mechanochromic luminescence, and promising heparin detection.

AIE-active Schiff base compounds were synthesized and photophysical properties were investigated. The compounds exhibited prominent sensing behaviour towards Fe³⁺ ion with enhanced selectivity, high association constants and low detection limits.

Revealing the actual origin of the unusual red-shifted aggregation-state emission of triphenylamine-imidazole molecules: is the photochemical reaction rather than the excimers.

AIE polymers pTPE-DPA-Cz and pTPE-DPA-Flu are synthesized and used as emitting layers in doped and non-doped polymeric LEDs through a solution process, and show maximum EQE of 3.26% in the doped PLEDs and CE of 3.69 cd A⁻¹ for the non-doped PLEDs and low efficiency roll-off.

A 2D protein supramolecular nanofilm exhibiting aggregation-induced emission is synthesized at the air/water interface or on a solid surface in several minutes, which could be used in anti-counterfeiting for edible items or living creatures.

Supramolecular ensembles based on AIE-active pillararenes exhibit strongly enhanced emission accompanied with obvious colour changes upon assembly, where supramolecular assembly-induced enhanced emission and FRET process play key roles.

The synthesis of a hexaiodinated BODIPY molecule is reported which exhibits excellent photosensitization and luminescence properties in the aggregated state.

An ionic AIEgen with high fluorescence quantum yield shows remarkable and reversible mechanochromism as well as excellent mitochondrial imaging of cancer cells and long-term tracking of tumors.

A smart AIEgen has been developed to rapidly (5 minutes) and precisely differentiate fungal viability in a wash-free manner.

Helicene-AIE conjugates with tailored marriage of helicenes and AIE luminophores show prominent fluorescence in the aggregated state with colour varying from blue to green, quantum yield up to 37.0%, and |g_lum| value up to 0.015.

Spectrally tunable, two-photon active benzothiadiazole-based fluorescent materials are realized by a simple synthetic strategy. Deep red emission from two-photon absorption, and incorporation into water-soluble polymer dots are achieved.

The preparation of AIE nanoparticles under thin film formation controls their size and the associated fluorescent intensity, with the smaller nanoparticles significantly increasing brightness.

o-Carborane was used to alter the electronic states of π-conjugated organic aryls and was demonstrated as an effective electronic control unit to tune the photophysical properties, endowing the molecules with certain luminescence properties.

A rod-like AIEgen was developed for real-time visualization of spontaneous molecular directed motion in situ, providing rich kinetic information.

AIEgens TPB-AC and CP-BP-PXZ are used as non-doped blue and green layers, and Ir(dmppr-mp)₂(divm) doped TCTA is used as red layer to construct high-performance hybrid WOLEDs.

Development of affordable, simple and effective methods for rapid on-site identification of genetically modified organisms (GMO) is urgent due to public concern for transgenic food.

Preparation and study of the rapid formation of electrospun fluorescent thermosetting fibers via chemical knitting of a thermosetting polymer with AIEgens and their possible applications as fluorescent probes.

This work reports the aggregation induced emission (AIE) behaviour of a coumarin-salicylidene Schiff base probe 3 which demonstrates ultrasensitive detection of aqueous Cu²⁺ ions in nanomolar range via a fluorescence “on–off” strategy.

Aggregation induced plasmon coupling enhanced fluorescence of a pre-quenched chromophore has been demonstrated by using Au and Au@Ag nanoparticles, which could be further utilized to develop highly sensitive chemical and biological sensing schemes.

The conversion between normal emission and ESIPT can be successfully achieved under pressure and temperature.

A newly designed molecule ODFRPTZ with asymmetric D–A–D′ type structure is endowed with aggregation-induced emission (AIE), intriguing mechanochromism and changeable emission between delayed fluorescence and phosphorescence by external force.

Bright and tunable ECL solid films are fabricated based on AIE luminogens for rapid and sensitive detection of dopamine.

Tunable aggregation-induced CPL signals with the maximal g_lum up to 0.02 were obtained from chiral AIEgens through the regulation of mono-/di-substituents of molecules or nanostructures of self-assemblies.

A tunable CPL response is achieved through regulating the aggregated structures of AIEgens in solution and solid states. Interestingly, DPCE-ECh exhibits a smectic C* phase with a high dissymmetry factor (g_CD = −0.20 and g_lum = +0.38).

AIE-active and bright solid-state red-emissive meso-2-ketopyrrolyl BODIPYs have been developed as viscosimeters in live cells for real-time quantification of intracellular viscosities.

A pair of AIE enantiomers exhibit chirality-activated mechanoluminescence and circularly polarized luminescence, as well as force-induced multiple-variations in emission properties.

The two isomers exhibit almost identical solvatochromism and AIE activity but high-contrast polymorphism and mechanochromism.

Circular dichroism behavior was regulated by controlling the molecular conformation of BINOL derivatives, and tunable solid-state circularly polarized luminescence was achieved.

A new diphenylamino (DPA)-substituted cationic cyclometalated Ir(III) complex, Ir2, demonstrates aggregation-induced phosphorescent emission (AIPE) and exhibits higher sensitivity to O₂ in an EC film than non-DPA-modified Ir1.

BFMPT crystals demonstrate stimuli-responsive and conformation-dependent aggregation-induced emission.

Formation of fluorescent two-dimensional supramolecular structure based on tetraphenylethene (TPE) derivative and CB[8].

An AIEgen-grafted copolymer P(NIPAM-co-EM) is successfully constructed with thermo-responsive LCST-featuring matrix PNIPAM for temperature detection.

Berberine chloride, an AIE-active natural product, can be utilized as a highly efficient theranostic agent for cancer and bacteria.

The emission behaviors of AIE–ILC molecules (DPP-2Py-9) in different aggregation states were affected by their molecular stacking arrangements.

Redox-responsive fluorescent AIE bioconjugate with aggregation enhanced retention features for targeted imaging reinforcement and selective suppression of cancer cells.

We report a new enhanced solvent displacement method for the synthesis of highly monodisperse nanoparticles with direct visualization of the ouzo zone.

A hydroxycamptothecin prodrug is developed, which can self-report the drug distribution and achieve self-synergistic anticancer efficacy through oxidation therapy.

Chiral Pt(II) complexes bearing bridging Salen ligands exhibit strong AIP through well-tuned intramolecular Pt–Pt interactions and multiple intermolecular interactions.

Excited-state “double-bond” torsion plays an important role in the nonluminescent behaviour of a stilbene-based twisted isomer.

A diethylamino-modified multifunctional ESIPT AIEgen with superior cell-penetrating capacity is applied for intracellular fluorescence assays, imaging and drug delivery.

A novel AIE fluorescent probe of amphiphilic block copolymer PCL-TPE-Azo-PEG was successfully synthesized based on azo reductase response. The polymer can be self-assembled and showed fluorescence improvement during reductant-triggered release.

A series of novel AIE-active liquid crystals were prepared, which exhibited stabilized and well-organized lamellar structures in the LC phase.

An AIE fluorescent switch exhibited multi-parameter detection properties for pH, sulfite anion and pressure with good linear relationships.

The characterization of the swelling properties in hydrogels suffers uncertainty due to the limitations that occur during weight change measurement.

In this study, we report a newly synthesized molecule 1via linking a benzothiazole to rhodamine, which could exhibit AIEE, unique acidichromism and solvatochromism in solution, fascinating photochromism in a polymer matrix, intriguing mechanochromism in solid state and remarkable piezochromism in the crystal.

Conversion from ACQ to AIE was achieved in aniline oligomer derivatives based on a novel “chain-insertion” pattern. The fully substituted anilines also showed a quantitative turn-on fluorescence response towards BSA.

We demonstrate a new strategy for the development of dual-state emissive materials with a positive response to temperature and long lifetime phosphorescence at low temperature.

A novel lysosome-targetable ratiometric AIE nanoprobe was rationally designed and synthesized for sensing of endogenous HClO levels in live cells.

Intrinsic emission and persistent room temperature phosphorescence from amorphous nonaromatic polymers are observed, which can be well rationalized by the CTE mechanism.

A novel AIE-active molecule (TPEThRB) composed of a tetraphenylethene unit as a AIE factor, Rhodamine spirolactam as a receptor, and thiophene ring as a conjugated electron-rich linker was obtained.

In this study, we investigate the role of halogen atoms on the fluorescence emission properties of borondifluoride complexes of 2′-hydroxychalcones in the solid-state.

An o-phthalimide-based AIE system was developed and used for detecting UV light, Hg(II) and pH, and as a photo-printing material.

Triphenylpyrrole derivatives are designed for application in wash-free real-time mitochondrial imaging, which emit NIR signals and feature AIE characteristics.

We report a purely organic recyclable mechanoluminescent luminogen (tPE-5-MeTh) with a thiophene group as the self-assembly unit. The recoverability could be achieved through simple thermal-treatment.

Studies of the non-linear optical properties of classical AIEgens are rare, despite their important potential applications in organic composite photonic circuits. Here, we present experimental results, supported by theoretical calculations, of the non-linear optical (NLO) properties of TPE and its halogenated derivates.

trans-C_n-Chol present smectic A phase and photo-responsive SmA–isotropic phase transition, and their organogels exhibit aggregation-induced emission and photo-responsive gel–sol transition.

Two novel chiral molecules 1 and 2 were designed and synthesized. 1 displayed evident CPL activity, whereas 2 served as a highly selective and sensitive “turn-off” fluorescent chemosensor for Cu²⁺.