Processing and Photostability of Pyrromethene 567 Polycerams

Polyceram materials are attractive hosts for laser dyes because they can have high optical transparencies, high laser damage thresholds, and the ability to tailor optical properties by varying the composition and synthetic routes. Pyrromethene 567 has been successfully incorporated within silica: polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) Polycerams to obtain polishable, crack-free, transparent monoliths using the sol-gel process. Fluorescence photostability was measured by pumping with aQ-switched, frequency doubled Nd: YAG laser (532 nm) at a pulse rate of 10 Hz. Fluorescence intensity dropped to 50% after approximately 50,000 pulses at a fluence of 0.10 J/cm². UV degradation studies were performed on Polycerams with different polymer contents, and the absorption photostability is related to the solubility and type of caging of the dye.     

Formation of Water-Soluble Dye-Doped Silica Particles

Formation mechanism of dye-doped silica particles less than 1 µm in diameters by the Stöber method was investigated. With increasing the content of dyes such as water-soluble porphyrin (TTMAPP) and laser dye (Nile blue), these dye-doped silica particles showed the similar tendency to the following characters: (1) Particle size increased, passed through the maximum at the dye content corresponds to the isoelectric point, and then followed by decrease; (2) Ratio of dimer and monomer of the incorporated dye decreased. In aqueous solution positively charged dyes showed good affinity with negatively charged SiO₂ primary particles from the early stage of the formation. Zeta potential of doped-silica particles was measured against nominal dye content: from non-doped to highly doped particles, their surface charge changed from negative to positive. The similar influence caused by positively charged dyes on the particle formation was also observed by Ca²⁺ doping.     

Laser welding of polymers using unsymmetrical squaraine dyes

Transmission laser welding of plastic is typically achieved by incorporating a laser absorbing dye into one of the two pieces of plastic one wishes to weld together and mediating the welding process using a laser emitting light at a suitable wavelength. Desirable properties of laser absorbing dyes include: (1) the dye is colorless in the visible region but absorbs strongly in the region at the wavelength where the laser emits, (2) the dye has a good conversion of the energy from the laser to heat, (3) the dye is stable enough to be incorporated into the molten plastic, (4) the dye is soluble in the plastic of choice to give an even distribution in the plastic, and (5) the dye is nontoxic. Here, we explore an alternative approach to achieve laser welding of colorless plastics using a laser dye that is colored, but that can be bleached after the welding process. Nonsymmetrical squaraine dyes were prepared by condensation of squaric acid and two equivalents of various 3,5-dimethoxy-N,N-dialkylanilines. After the incorporation into polyethylene and laser welding, the plastic was bleached either by heat treatment or by irradiation with a high pressure Xe-lamp giving colorless polyethylene. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 2245–2254     

Molecular Encapsulation of Fluorescent Dyes Affords Efficient Narrow‐band Dye Laser Operation in Water

A water‐based narrow‐band high‐efficiency dye laser was designed by means of a supramolecular host–guest chemical approach. The lasing characteristics of rhodamine B and sulforhodamine B (Kiton Red S) dyes in aqueous solution with the macrocyclic host cucurbit[7]uril (CB7) as additive were investigated in a narrow‐band dye laser setup. Significant improvements in both photostability and thermo‐optical properties of the aqueous CB7‐complexed dye systems were observed as compared to the uncomplexed dyes in ethanol solution. The tuning curves for the new dye–CB7–water systems were constructed by measuring the laser output at different wavelengths, which showed similar peak efficiencies and red‐shifted gains compared to the ethanolic solutions of the dyes, while dye laser operation revealed comparable pump threshold energies and slope efficiencies. The combined results render the dye–CB7–water system an attractive active medium for high‐repetition rate dye laser operation.     

Change of Boron Substitution Improves the Lasing Performance of Bodipy Dyes: A Mechanistic Rationalisation

Bodipy laser dyes are highly efficient but degrade rapidly in solution by reacting with in situ generated singlet oxygen (¹O₂). To increase the lasing lifetimes of these dyes, we have designed and synthesised two different congeners of the widely studied Pyrromethene 567 (PM567) by substitution at the boron centre and/or at both the boron centre and the meso position. The two new dyes showed high lasing efficiencies with increased photostability. The results of theoretical and pulse radiolysis studies revealed that the substitution at the boron centre reduced the ¹O₂ generation capacity of these dyes as well as their rate of reaction with ¹O₂, thereby enhancing their lifetimes even under lasing conditions.     

Host-Guest Interactions and Laser Activity in AlPO4-5/Laser Dye Composites

In situ inclusion of the laser dyes coumarin 466, coumarin 7, pyridine 2 and DCM has been conducted successfully in AlPO₄-5 crystals. The charged molecule pyridine 2 interacts with the framework and leads to bundle-like morphologies with increasing dye content. Uncharged molecules (DCM, coumarin 7, coumarin 466) are included, although corresponding molecular dimensions are exceeding pore size. These dyes probably induce local defects in the pore walls of AlPO₄-5 which are healed during crystal growth leading to well-developed hexagonal prisms. Spectroscopic studies show interactions of the dyes with the solid-state matrix which are reflected by shifts of absorption and emission maxima of the dyes. For the first time, laser activity is demonstrated on a perfect hexagonal single AlPO₄-5/DCM crystal.     

近红外激光防护染料

以激光防护和隐身材料为需求背景，概述了菁类染料(含多次甲基菁染料、方酸菁和克酮酸菁染料、薁染料)、酞菁类染料(含普通酞菁和萘酞菁)、金属络合物染料、醌型染料、偶氮染料、游离基型染料、芳甲烷型染料、苝类染料等近红外吸? 杖玖系难芯孔纯黾敖埂? $601$ADuetotherequirementofnear-infraredlaserprotectivedyesandlaserstealthmaterials,thisreviewfocusedontheresearchprogressofnear-infraredabsorbingdyes,andsomesuggestionswereputforwardonthefutureresearch.Someofthemostimportanttechnicalrequiremnetsforlaser-protectivedyeswithintheplasticareasfollows:sharpabsorptionbandsatspecificwavelengthscorrespondingtolaseremission,excellentlightfastness,robustthermalandchemicalstability,stabilitytoambientconditions,highopticaldensityandscotopicluminoustransmission,goodsolubilityinplasticandlowtoxicity.Thisreviewpaidattentiontothepropertiessuchasthemaximumabsorptionwavelengthandtheabsorptionintense,attentionhadbeendirectedtowardseighttypesnear-infrareddyes:cyaninedyeswhichincludedpolymethinedyesandsquaryliumorcroconiumdyes,phthalocyaninesandnaphthalocyanines,metalcomplexdyes,quinonedyes,azodyes,radicaldyes,multiphenylmethanedyesandperylenedyes.Otherkindsofnear-infrareddyeswerealsomentioned,suchasaromaticannulenes,planescontainignso-callednonbenzenoidaromaticrings,cycliccross-conjugatedhydrocarbonshavinginsertedp-quiniodring,fluorenyliumdyeswithinorganicanions,donor-acceptorcyclophanes,tetrapyrazinoporphyrazinesandpentaazadentateexpandedporphyrinsetal.Allofthedyesmentionedabovehadsomegoodpropertiesforuseasthenear-infraredlaserprotectivedyesandlaserstealthmaterials,buttherealsoexisteddefectsineverykindofdyes.     

Preparation of highly selective solid-phase extractants for Cibacron reactive dyes using molecularly imprinted polymers

Selective polymeric extractants were prepared for preconcentration of Cibacron reactive red dye, a dye that is often applied with Cibacron reactive blue and Cibacron reactive yellow for dyeing of fabrics. The best extractant was fabricated (in chloroform) using methacrylic acid (as monomer), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (as crosslinker), AIBN (as initiator for polymerization), and red dye as template molecule, with a molar stoichiometric ratio of 8.0:40.0:2.5:0.63, respectively. The structure of the molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was robust, and resisted dissolution up to 260 °C. Compared with the un-imprinted polymer, the imprinted product has a large specific surface area which improved its adsorption capacity. The effect of imprinting was obvious from the adsorption capacity measured at pH 4 for red dye (the imprinted molecule), which was increased from 24.0 to 79.3 mg g⁻¹ after imprinting. Equilibrium adsorption studies revealed that the dye-imprinted-polymer enables efficient extraction of red dye even in the presence of blue and yellow dyes which have similar chemical natures to the red dye. The selectivity coefficients S _{red dye/dye}, were 13.9 and 17.1 relative to the yellow and blue dyes, respectively. The MIP was found to be effective for red dye preconcentration, with a preconcentration factor of 100, from tap water and treated textile wastewater. The factors affecting extraction of red dye by the MIP were studied and optimized. Under the optimized extraction conditions, red dye was selectively quantified in the presence of other competing dyes at a concentration of 20 μg L⁻¹ from different water systems with satisfactory recoveries (91–95%) and RSD values (∼5.0%).     

Click assembly of dye-functionalized octasilsesquioxanes for highly efficient and photostable photonic systems

New hybrid organic–inorganic dyes based on an azide‐functionalized cubic octasilsesquioxane (POSS) as the inorganic part and a 4,4‐difluoro‐4‐bora‐3a,4a‐diaza‐s‐indacene (BDP) chromophore as the organic component have been synthesized by copper(I)‐catalyzed 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of azides to alkynes. We have studied the effects of the linkage group of BDP to the POSS unit and the degree of functionalization of this inorganic core on the ensuing optical properties by comparison with model dyes. The high fluorescence of the BDP dye is preserved in spite of the linked chain at its meso position, even after attaching one BDP moiety to the POSS core. The laser action of the new dyes has been analyzed under transversal pumping at 532 nm in both the liquid phase and when incorporated into solid polymeric matrices. The monosubstituted new hybrid dye exhibits high lasing efficiency of up to 56 % with high photostability, with its laser output remaining at the initial value after 4×10⁵ pump pulses in the same position of the sample at a repetition rate of 30 Hz. However, functionalization of the POSS core with eight fluorophores leads to dye aggregation, as quantum mechanical simulation has revealed, worsening the optical properties and extinguishing the laser action. The new hybrid systems based on dye‐linked POSS nanoparticles open up the possibility of using these new photonic materials as alternative sources for optoelectronic devices, competing with dendronized or grafted polymers.     

Nanoporous Networks of Si-, Al-, P-Oxygen Tetrahedra with Encapsulated Dyes as New Composite Materials

Microporous and mesoporous molecular sieves like zeolite faujasites, AlPO₄-5 and Si-MCM-41 are obtained by polycondensation of oxygen containing tetrahedra of the metal aluminium, the semimetal silicon and the non-metal phosphorus by conventional or microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis. The encapsulation of dyes after different methods is described. Monomolecular distribution of dyes in the framework of the hosts is obtained. The encapsulated dyes show high absorption and fluorescence intensities which is interesting for photochromic switches, optical sensors and lasing. The location of a dye is identified after single molecule spectroscopy.     

Electrochemical oxidation of tritane dyes

The oxidation of tritane dyes at a stationary glassy carbon electrode in methylene chloride is studied using voltammetry. It is shown that electron-donor-type dialkylamino-groups in the dye molecules favor the decreasing of the oxidation half-wave potentials; by contrast, the strong electron-acceptor-type nitroso-group contributes to their increasing. The Cl^? anion and complex anion In Cl ₄ ^? , which are constituents of triphenylmethane dyes, are not oxidized in these conditions.     

First Highly Efficient and Photostable E and C Derivatives of 4,4‐Difluoro‐4‐bora‐3a,4a‐diaza‐s‐indacene (BODIPY) as Dye Lasers in the Liquid Phase,Thin Films,and Solid‐State Rods

A new library of E‐ and C‐4,4‐difluoro‐4‐bora‐3a,4a‐diaza‐s‐indacene (BODIPY) derivatives has been synthesized through a straightforward protocol from commercially available BODIPY complexes, and a systematic study of the photophysical properties and laser behavior related to the electronic properties of the B‐substituent group (alkynyl, cyano, vinyl, aryl, and alkyl) has been carried out. The replacement of fluorine atoms by electron‐withdrawing groups enhances the fluorescence response of the dye, whereas electron‐donor groups diminish the fluorescence efficiency. As a consequence, these compounds exhibit enhanced laser action with respect to their parent dyes, both in liquid solution and in the solid phase, with lasing efficiencies under transversal pumping up to 73 % in liquid solution and 53 % in a solid matrix. The new dyes also showed enhanced photostability. In a solid matrix, the derivative of commercial dye PM597 that incorporated cyano groups at the boron center exhibited a very high lasing stability, with the laser emission remaining at the initial level after 100 000 pump pulses in the same position of the sample at a 10 Hz repetition rate. Distributed feedback laser emission was demonstrated with organic films that incorporated parent dye PM597 and its cyano derivative. The films were deposited onto quartz substrates engraved with appropriate periodical structures. The C derivative exhibited a laser threshold lower than that of the parent dye as well as lasing intensities up to three orders of magnitude higher.     

Characterisation of a new sol-gel precursor for a SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-rhodamine 6G hybrid class II material

The entrapment of organic dyes in inorganic solids offers several advantage for solid-state laser applications with respect to the use of liquid or polymer hosts. Among the various inorganic hosts, silica is preferred for its superior mechanical, thermal and optical properties. Organic dyes, such as Rhodamine 6G (Rh6G), can be immobilised in SiO₂ both physically (materials of class I), and by covalent bonds (class II materials). In the past years Rh6G-SiO₂ class I hybrids were prepared. In this work we propose, for the first time, a Rh6G-SiO₂ class II hybrids. We describe the preparation of a suitable sol-gel Rh6G precursor verified by FT-IR analysis and report the characterization of the hybrid materials by means of thermal and porosimetric analysis and optical spectroscopy measurements. The precursor is thermally stable up to ∼250°C, and its optical characteristics (UV-VIS absorbance and photoluminescence, PL) do not change with respect to those of the pristine dye molecule. The PL spectra of the final hybrids show that they are promising candidates for applications in solid state dye lasers.     

Efficient NIR‐Light Emission from Solid‐State Complexes of Boron Difluoride with 2′‐Hydroxychalcone Derivatives

This article describes a series of nine complexes of boron difluoride with 2′‐hydroxychacone derivatives. These dyes were synthesized very simply and exhibited intense NIR emission in the solid state. Complexation with boron was shown to impart very strong donor–acceptor character into the excited state of these dyes, which further shifted their emission towards the NIR region (up to 855 nm for dye 5 b , which contained the strongly donating triphenylamine group). Strikingly, these optical features were obtained for crystalline solids, which are characterized by high molecular order and tight packing, two features that are conventionally believed to be detrimental to luminescence in organic crystals. Remarkably, the emission of light from the π‐stacked molecules did not occur at the expense of the emission quantum yield. Indeed, in the case of pyrene‐containing dye 4 , for example, a fluorescence quantum yield of about 15 % with a fluorescence emission maximum at 755 nm were obtained in the solid state. Moreover, dye 3 a and acetonaphthone‐based compounds 1 b , 2 b , and 3 b showed no evidence of degradation as solutions in CH₂Cl₂ that contained EtOH. In particular, solutions of brightly fluorescent compound 3 a (brightness: ε×Φ_f=45 000 M ^?1 cm^?1) could be stored for long periods without any detectable changes in its optical properties. All together, these new dyes possess a set of very interesting properties that make them promising solid‐state NIR fluorophores for applications in materials science.     

Molecular Engineering of Simple Phenothiazine‐Based Dyes To Modulate Dye Aggregation,Charge Recombination,and Dye Regeneration in Highly Efficient Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

A series of simple phenothiazine‐based dyes, namely, TP , EP , TTP , ETP , and EEP have been developed, in which the thiophene (T), ethylenedioxythiophene (E), their dimers, and mixtures are present to modulate dye aggregation, charge recombination, and dye regeneration for highly efficient dye‐sensitized solar cell (DSSC) applications. Devices sensitized by the dyes TP and TTP display high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 8.07 (J_sc=15.2 mA cm^?2, V_oc=0.783 V, fill factor (FF)=0.679) and 7.87 % (J_sc=16.1 mA cm^?2, V_oc=0.717 V, FF=0.681), respectively; these were measured under simulated AM 1.5 sunlight in conjunction with the I^?/I₃^? redox couple. By replacing the T group with the E unit, EP ‐based DSSCs had a slightly lower PCE of 7.98 % with a higher short‐circuit photocurrent (J_sc) of 16.7 mA cm^?2. The dye ETP , with a mixture of E and T, had an even lower PCE of 5.62 %. Specifically, the cell based on the dye EEP , with a dimer of E, had inferior J_sc and V_oc values and corresponded to the lowest PCE of 2.24 %. The results indicate that the photovoltaic performance can be finely modulated through structural engineering of the dyes. The selection of T analogues as donors can not only modulate light absorption and energy levels, but also have an impact on dye aggregation and interfacial charge recombination of electrons at the interface of titania, electrolytes, and/or oxidized dye molecules; this was demonstrated through DFT calculations, electrochemical impedance analysis, and transient photovoltage studies.     

Solid‐state lasers based on inorganic–organic hybrid materials obtained by combined sol–gel polymer technology

Sol–gel glass matrices in which organic laser dyes are embedded can be used as the gain medium in solid‐state, continuously tunable lasers. Such lasers are very simple to construct, and potentially very compact and efficient. Unlike the commonly used liquid dye laser systems, solid‐state dye lasers can be made mechanically robust and portable. In this article, the development of sol–gel/dye lasers, including the sol–gel technology, dye properties, and laser operation, is reviewed. In addition, new solid‐state hosts (such as polyurethane/silica ORMOSILs), additional organic dyes (cyanines), and new studies on the stability of the dyes are presented. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Photosensitization mechanisms in photopolymer coating film containing photoinitiators sensitized by aminochalcone‐type dye for computer‐to‐photopolymer plate

Photosensitization mechanisms in photopolymer coating film containing an aminochalcone‐type dye sensitizer and a radical generating reagent, sensitizer dyes, (E)‐3‐(9‐julolidinyl)‐1‐phenyl‐2‐propen‐1‐one (A), (E)‐2‐(9‐julolidinyl)‐methylene‐1‐indanone (B), 9‐benzoyl‐2,3,6,7‐tetrahydro‐1H,5H‐benzo[i,j]‐furano‐[3,2‐g]quinolizine (C), 4‐(dimethylamino) chalcone (D) and a radical‐generating reagent, 2,4,6‐tris (trichloromethyl)‐1,3,5‐triazine (TCT), were investigated by laser flash photolysis using a total reflection cell. Weak fluorescence and strong broad triplet absorption were detected. The fluorescence was statically quenched by TCT at quenching distances (R_f) of 15, 14, 20 and 14 Å for A, B, C and D as well as the triplet initial absorption, at quenching distances (R_t) of 16, 16, 16 and 14 for A, B, C and D, similar to the fluorescence quenching distances. The triplet decay time of the dyes was inefficiently quenched by TCT with the rate constants (k _q) of 1.9, 3.1, 0.7 and 1.0×10⁵ mol⁻¹/dm³/s for A, B, C and D. The sensitivity of photopolymers containing a sensitizer dye and a TCT was obtained at an excitation of 488 nm corresponding to the emission peaks of argon ion laser of 1.1, 0.2, 0.54 and 9.1 mJ cm² for A, B, C and D. The results indicated that the static sensitization process from the fluorescent singlet excited state of the dyes to the ground state of TCT was predominant, and the high sensitivity for A and B was caused by the high absorbance at 488 nm and that for C by the high fluorescent quenching distance. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantum semiempirical study on the reactivity of silylated diamines in the synthesis of aromatic polyamides

The reasons for the reactivity increase toward acyl chlorides caused in aromatic amines by silylation are studied by quantum semiempirical and ab initio methods. Silylated amino groups adopt an sp² planar geometry, in contrast to that observed in the unsilylated series, where a partially pyramidal structure intermediate between sp³ and sp² geometry was obtained. Silylation also causes a strong increase of electronic density on the amine nitrogen and an increase of the Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital (HOMO) energy, both effects favoring the higher reactivity of these silylated amines. In addition to that, silylation produces a decrease of the activation energy in the reaction with an acyl chloride, relative to the unsilylated amines, thus increasing reaction rate.     

Characterization and catalytic performance of methyl-grafted Ti-HMS catalysts prepared by the CVD method

Methyl-grafted Ti-HMS catalysts were prepared by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method using TiCl₄ as titanium source and various organic silanes as silylating agents. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, N₂-adsorption-desorption, FTIR, ²⁹Si NMR, TGA, DR UV-vis, and evaluated by the epoxidation of propylene using cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) as oxidant. The results reveal that the silylated Ti-HMS catalysts are more active than the unsilylated Ti-HMS catalyst, and the methyl-grafted Ti-HMS catalyst silylated with hexamethyldisilazane (HMDSZ) exhibits better epoxidation performance than the analogues silylated with trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) or dimethyldichorosilane (DMDCS). It is proposed that not only the form of T-O-SiMe_n (n = 2 or 3) but also the breakage of Ti-O-T (Si-O-Si or Si-O-Ti) are observed in silylation using Cl-containing silylating agents (TMCS or DMDCS), which decrease the hydrophobicity of Ti-HMS catalysts and destroy the tetracoordinated titanium species that responsible for the epoxidation performance. This phenomenon has not been observed in silylation with HMDSZ.     

Laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry of dye‐sensitized solar cells: identification of the dye‐electrolyte interaction

Dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSCs) have great potential to provide sustainable electricity from sunlight. The photoanode in DSCs consists of a dye‐sensitized metal oxide film deposited on a conductive substrate. This configuration makes the photoanode a perfect sample for laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI‐MS). We applied LDI‐MS for the study of molecular interactions between a dye and electrolyte on the surface of a TiO₂ photoanode. We found that a dye containing polyoxyethylene groups forms complexes with alkali metal cations from the electrolyte, while a dye substituted with alkoxy groups does not. Guanidinium ion forms adducts with neither of the two dyes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.