Noninvasive Temperature Measurement in Dental Materials Using Nd3+, Yb3+ Doped Nanoparticles Emitting in the Near Infrared Region

In this work, the application of near infrared (NIR)-emitting NaYbF₄:1%Tm³⁺@NaLuF₄:30%Nd³⁺ core–shell nanoparticles is reported for noninvasive probing and monitoring the temperature during photopolymerization of dental materials. When excited at 808 nm, the synthesized nanoparticles emit NIR photoluminescence (PL) with two distinctive peaks at 865 and 980 nm which correspond to radiative transitions from the doped Nd³⁺ and Yb³⁺ ions, respectively. Luminescence intensity ratio between these two bands is found to vary with temperature due to temperature-dependent electronic excitation energy transfer between Nd³⁺ and Yb³⁺ ions at the core/shell interface. This finding allows luminescence ratiometric evaluation of the in situ temperature during photopolymerization of resin cement (doped with nanoparticles) in a veneer placement procedure. In addition, the NIR emission also enables PL imaging of the distribution of the adhesive under the veneer. The results highlight that rare-earth ions–doped nanoparticles with both excitation and emission in the NIR spectral range are advantageous for both PL-based nanothermometry and imaging due to the reduced attenuation of NIR light by dental ceramics.     

Syntheses and structures of two novel fluorescent metal–organic frameworks generated from a tridentate donor–acceptor motif ligand

The tridentate organic ligand 4,4′,4′′‐(4,4,8,8,12,12‐hexamethyl‐8,12‐dihydro‐4H‐benzo[9,1]quinolizino[3,4,5,6,7‐defg]acridine‐2,6,10‐triyl)tribenzoic acid ( H₃L ) has been synthesized (as the methanol 1.25‐solvate, C₄₈H₃₉NO₆·1.25CH₃OH). As a donor–acceptor motif molecule, H₃L possess strong intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) fluorescence. Through hydrogen bonds, H₃L molecules construct a two‐dimensional (2D) network, which pack together into three‐dimensional (3D) networks with an ABC stacking pattern in the crystalline state. Based on H₃L and M(NO₃)₂ salts (M = Cd and Zn) under solvothermal conditions, two metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), namely, catena‐poly[[triaquacadmium(II)]‐μ‐10‐(4‐carboxyphenyl)‐4,4′‐(4,4,8,8,12,12‐hexamethyl‐8,12‐dihydro‐4H‐benzo[9,1]quinolizino[3,4,5,6,7‐defg]acridine‐2,6‐diyl)dibenzoato], [Cd(C₄₈H₃₇NO₆)(H₂O)₃]_n, I , and poly[[μ₃‐4,4′,4′′‐(4,4,8,8,12,12‐hexamethyl‐8,12‐dihydro‐4H‐benzo[9,1]quinolizino[3,4,5,6,7‐defg]acridine‐2,6,10‐triyl)tribenzoato](μ₃‐hydroxido)zinc(II)], [Zn₂(C₄₈H₃₆NO₆)(OH)]_n, II , were synthesized. Single‐crystal analysis revealed that both MOFs adopt a 3D structure. In I , partly deprotonated HL ^2? behaves as a bidentate ligand to link a Cd^II ion to form a one‐dimensional chain. In the solid state of I , the existence of weak interactions, such as O—H…O hydrogen bonds and π–π interactions, plays an essential role in aligning 2D nets and 3D networks with AB packing patterns for I . The deprotonated ligand L ^3? in II is utilized as a tridentate building block to bind Zn^II ions to construct 3D networks, where unusual Zn₄O₁₄ clusters act as connection nodes. As a donor–acceptor molecule, H₃L exhibits fluorescence with a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 70% in the solid state. In comparison, the PL of both MOFs is red‐shifted with even higher PLQYs of 79 and 85% for I and II , respectively.     

三缺位硅钨酸盐纳米材料的调控形貌的合成及功能化

以三缺位Keggin型硅钨酸盐为前驱体,采用化学沉淀法成功合成出2例新型纳米材料M_3SiW_9(M=Cu.,Co.)。其中,Cu_3SiW_9表现为新颖的纳米晶须形貌,Co_3SiW_9表现为尺寸均一的球形纳米颗粒。经过一系列控制实验证明,通过掺杂不同类型的金属离子可以调控M_3SiW_9的形貌。我们对产生该现象的机理进行了合理推测。此外,使用荧光素钠作为掺杂剂可使Cu_3SiW_9纳米晶须具有优良的光致发光性能,测试表明,多酸并未淬灭荧光素钠的发光,复合材料在510 nm具有明显的发射波长。最后,我们对Cu_3SiW_9纳米晶须负载CdS量子点后的光催化产氢性质进行了研究。结果表明,当Cu_3SiW_9与CdS的质量比为1∶1时,复合材料的产氢效率约为纯CdS量子点的10倍。这也证实多金属氧酸盐的存在可以有效抑制CdS量子点光生电子与空穴的复合,从而大幅提高其光解水产氢的效率。     

Dinuclear gold (I)-di-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes: syntheses,structure, density functional theory calculation and photoluminescence study

The synthesis and characterizations for a series of dinuclear gold (I)-di-NHC complexes, 1–8 through the trans-metalation method of their respective silver (I)-di-NHC complexes, i–viii are reported (where NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene). The successful complexation of a series of unusual non-symmetrical and symmetrical di-NHC ligands, 3,3'-(ethane-1,2-diyl)-1-alkylbenzimidazolium-1'-butylbenzimidazolium (with alkyl = methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, benzyl) with the gold (I) ions are suggested by elemental analysis, Fourier transform-infrared, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR data. The ¹³C-NMR spectra of 1–8 show a singlet sharp peak in the range of 190.00–192.00 ppm, indicating the presence of a carbene carbon that bonded to the gold (I) ion. From single crystal X-ray diffraction data, the structure of complex 6 with the formula of [di-NHC-Au (I)]₂·2PF₆ is obtained [where NHC = 3,3'-(ethane-1,2-diyl)-1-hexylbenzimidazolium-1'-butylbenzimidazolium]. The photophysical study in solid state of 6 displays an intense photoluminescence with a strong emission maxima, λ_em = 480 nm, upon excitation at 340 nm at room temperature. Interestingly, the emission maximum at 77 K shows a structural character with a strong peak at 410 nm, a medium at 433 nm and a weak at 387 nm, accompanied by a tail band to about 500 nm.     

Eu^3+激活氟氧硼酸锗酸盐闪烁玻璃的发光性能

采用传统高温熔融法合成了玻璃组成为B2O3-GeO2-15GdF3-(40-x)Gd2O3-xEu2O3(0≤x≤10)的Eu^3+激活氟氧硼酸锗酸盐闪烁玻璃。在硼锗酸盐玻璃基质中,Gd2O3和GdF3稀土试剂的总含量高达55%,从而确保其密度高于6.4 g/cm^3。闪烁玻璃的光学性能通过光学透过光谱、光致发光光谱、X射线激发发射(XEL)光谱和荧光衰减曲线来表征。玻璃中Gd^3+→Eu^3+离子的能量传递通过激发光谱、发射光谱和Gd^3+-Eu^3+离子间距得到证明,同时也确定了在紫外线和X射线激发下Eu^3+激活氟氧硼酸锗酸盐闪烁玻璃的最佳浓度。Judd-Ofelt理论分析了玻璃中Eu―O键的共价性随Eu^3+掺杂浓度增加而显著增强。Eu^3+激活氟氧硼酸锗酸盐闪烁玻璃在80~470 K温度范围内荧光衰减曲线和发射光谱的温度依赖关系最终证实了其具有较好的发光稳定性。     

Efficient Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes Based on Well-Type Thick-Shell CdxZn1−xS/CdSe/CdyZn1−yS Quantum Dots

Device grade quantum dots (QDs) require QDs ensembles to retain their original superior optical properties as in solution. QDs with thick shells are proven effective in suppressing the inter-dot interaction and preserving the emission properties for QDs solids. However, lattice strain–induced defects may form as the shell grows thicker, resulting in a notable photoluminescence quenching. Herein, a well-type Cd_xZn_1−xS/CdSe/Cd_yZn_1−yS QDs is proposed, where ternary alloys CdZnS are adopted to match the lattice parameter of intermediate CdSe by separately adjusting the x and y parameters. The resultant thick-shell Cd_0.5Zn_0.5S/CdSe/Cd_0.73Zn_0.27S QDs reveal nonblinking properties with a high PL QY of 99% in solution and 87% in film. The optimized quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) exhibit a luminance of 31547.5 cd m⁻² at the external quantum efficiency maximum of 21.2% under a bias of 4.0 V. The shell thickness shows great impact on the degradation of the devices. The T₅₀ lifetime of the QLEDs with 11.2 nm QDs reaches 251 493 h, which is much higher than that of 6.5 and 8.4 nm QDs counterparts. The performances of the well-type thick-shell QLEDs are comparable to state-of-the-art devices, suggesting that this type of QDs is a promising candidate for efficient optoelectronic devices.     

Optoelectronic,Aggregation, and Redox Properties of Double-Rotor Boron Difluoride Hydrazone Dyes

We develop the chemistry of boron difluoride hydrazone dyes (BODIHYs) bearing two aryl substituents and explore their properties. The low-energy absorption bands (λ_max=427–464 nm) of these dyes depend on the nature of the N-aryl groups appended to the BODIHY framework. Electron-donating and extended π-conjugated groups cause a redshift, whereas electron-withdrawing groups result in a blueshift. The title compounds were weakly photoluminescent in solution and strongly photoluminescent as thin films (λ_PL=525–578 nm) with quantum yields of up to 18 % and lifetimes of 1.1–1.7 ns, consistent with the dominant radiative decay through fluorescence. Addition of water to THF solutions of the BODIHYs studied causes molecular aggregation which restricts intramolecular motion and thereby enhances photoluminescence. The observed photoluminescence of BODIHY thin films is likely facilitated by a similar molecular packing effect. Finally, cyclic voltammetry studies confirmed that BODIHY derivatives bearing para-substituted N-aryl groups could be reversibly oxidized (E_ox1=0.62–1.02 V vs. Fc/Fc⁺) to their radical cation forms. Chemical oxidation studies confirmed that para-substituents at the N-aryl groups are required to circumvent radical decomposition pathways. Our findings provide new opportunities and guiding principles for the design of sought-after multifunctional boron difluoride complexes that are photoluminescent in the solid state.     

Strongly localized states in a single carbon nanotube with polymer molecules

A single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) with conjugated polymer molecules is analyzed via optical spectroscopy. The presence of strongly localized excitonic states in the SWCNT is confirmed using time-integrated photoluminescence (PL). The PL spectrum exhibits extremely narrow width (~0.8 meV) which is attributed to the strong confinement of the states by polymer molecules. In addition, I observed that the excited states are gradually filled as a function of the excitation power, which supports the localized excitonic behavior. Only the ground excitonic state is observed at low excitation powers, but three additional PL peaks appear as the excitation power is increased. Especially, the power-dependent PL spectrum shows a blueshift and increased width, which can be elucidated in terms of quantum confined stark effect and the screening of induced electric fields. Overall, I demonstrate that the presence of polymer molecules induces several localized states in a single SWCNT.     

Synthesis of nonplanar bipyridyls bridged by disilane and disiloxane and their phosphorescent copper complexes

Disilane- and disiloxane-bridged bipyridyls ( DSBPy and DSOBPy ) were prepared and their optical properties were investigated in comparison with those of previously reported monosilane- and monogermane-bridged counterparts. The UV–visible absorption and photoluminescence bands of DSBPy and DSOBPy were blue-shifted as a result of elongation of the bridging units from monosilane and monogermane to disilane and disiloxane, likely due to the enhanced twisting of the bipyridyl units. Phosphorescent complexes DSBPy–Cu and DSOBPy–Cu were prepared by the interaction of DSBPy and DSOBPy with Cu₂I₂(PPh₃)₂. X-ray diffraction studies of their single-crystal structures revealed polymeric structures composed of repeat units of DSBPy or DSOBPy and [Cu^II(PPh₃)]₂. Organic light-emitting diodes with the ITO/PEDOT:PSS/ DSBPy–Cu or DSOBPy–Cu :PCTSQ/TAZ/Al structure were fabricated to examine the applications of the complexes as electroluminescent materials. The devices emitted yellow light with emission maxima at approximately 600 nm, and maximal luminance reached 120 and 190 cd m⁻² for devices based on DSBPy–Cu and DSOBPy–Cu , respectively. The performance of the DSOBPy–Cu -based device was improved by using TAZ as the dopant of the emissive layer, and luminance was increased to 390 cd m⁻².     

Novel tantalum phosphate Na13Sr2Ta2(PO4)9: synthesis,crystal structure,DFT calculations and Dy3+‐activated fluorescence performance

A new tantalum phosphate, tridecasodium distrontium ditantalum nonaphosphate, Na₁₃Sr₂Ta₂(PO₄)₉, was prepared using the high‐temperature flux method. The structure can be described as a three‐dimensional open framework containing isolated [Ta^V₂(PO₄)₉]¹⁷⁻ units that are interlocked by Na and Sr ions. Band structure studies by the first‐principles method revealed that Na₁₃Sr₂Ta₂(PO₄)₉ is an insulator with an indirect band gap of 4.78 eV, which makes it suitable as a luminescent host matrix. A series of solid solutions, i.e. Na₁₃Sr_2–xTa₂(PO₄)₉:xDy³⁺ (x = 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.1, 0.12 and 0.14), were prepared and their photoluminescence properties studied. Under 350 nm light excitation, these emit two typical emissions of the Dy³⁺ ion, i.e. the ⁴F_9/2→⁶H_15/2 transition centred at 476 nm and the ⁴F_9/2→⁶H_13/2 transition centred at 570 nm.