Recent progress in triplet energy transfer systems toward organic afterglow materials
Kaiwen Wu, Dan Liu, Lixun Zhu, Tianhao Wu, Yanning Xu, Chengwen He, Yu Xiong, Zheng Zhao, Ben Zhong Tang
Abstract
Organic room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) has shown potential applications in the fields of biomedical imaging, chemical sensing, anti-counterfeiting, and encryption. Inspired by natural photosynthesis, artificial light-harvesting systems based on the phosphorescence-type energy transfer (ET) from the triplet excited states of organic RTP emitters have emerged as promising candidates to expand organic afterglow materials and promote practical applications. This review presents a fundamental understanding of phosphorescence-type ET processes, including the one-step triplet-to-singlet ET, stepwise triplet-to-singlet-to-singlet ET, and triplet-to-triplet ET. We highlight significant advances in the design, modulation, and application of phosphorescence-type ET systems and provide an outlook on application prospects and challenges. Artificial light-harvesting systems based on phosphorescence-type energy transfer from the triplet excited states of organic room-temperature phosphorescence emitters have emerged as promising candidates for organic afterglow materials. Here, the authors review our fundamental understanding of phosphorescence-type energy transfer processes and highlight recent advances in the design, modulation and application of such systems.