Issue 17, 2024

Facile activation of an unconjugated zwitterionic squaraine dye for tunable fluorescence and morphology behaviors

Abstract

The regulation of organic microcrystals with different fluorescence and morphological behaviors is pivotal for their applications; however, it is still complex to implement. Herein, we present the facile preparation of tunable light-emitting ionic organic microcrystals by the in situ self-assembly of a non-emissive squaraine dye (SQH) with various amines (NH2Et, NHEt2, NEt3) or NEt4OH. These behaviors primarily arise from the activation of conjugation in the surprisingly unconjugated configuration of zwitterionic SQH, which forms anionic SQ accompanied by ammonium counter ion in the microcrystals. The fluorescence quantum yields of these ionic microcrystals ranged from 18.6% to 68.2%, along with a change from two-dimensional to one-dimensional morphology, which is closely associated with their distinct cation–anion arrangements. Notably, the SQ–NH2Et2 microcrystals exhibited reversible vapoluminescence behavior at room temperature, enabling easy cryptographic application.

Graphical abstract: Facile activation of an unconjugated zwitterionic squaraine dye for tunable fluorescence and morphology behaviors

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Research Article
Submitted
23 Apr 2024
Accepted
21 Jun 2024
First published
24 Jun 2024

Mater. Chem. Front., 2024,8, 2851-2858

Facile activation of an unconjugated zwitterionic squaraine dye for tunable fluorescence and morphology behaviors

W. Guo, Y. Qu, M. Wang, G. Xia and H. Wang, Mater. Chem. Front., 2024, 8, 2851 DOI: 10.1039/D4QM00336E

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