Room-temperature phosphorescence and anomalous piezochromism in molecular crystals enabled by iodine atomic orbital sharing

Abstract Controlling room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) in organic materials through external stimuli is crucial for elucidating RTP mechanisms and engineering stimuli-responsive materials for various applications. However, compared to fluorescent materials, regulating RTP presents greater chall...

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Main Authors: Tongge Xu, Chunguang Zhai, Ziyao Liu, Xiaoying Yang, Shuhe Hu, Yuchen Shang, Lei Yue, Jiajun Dong, Ran Liu, Quanjun Li, Mingguang Yao, Bingbing Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58864-6
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author Tongge Xu
Chunguang Zhai
Ziyao Liu
Xiaoying Yang
Shuhe Hu
Yuchen Shang
Lei Yue
Jiajun Dong
Ran Liu
Quanjun Li
Mingguang Yao
Bingbing Liu
author_facet Tongge Xu
Chunguang Zhai
Ziyao Liu
Xiaoying Yang
Shuhe Hu
Yuchen Shang
Lei Yue
Jiajun Dong
Ran Liu
Quanjun Li
Mingguang Yao
Bingbing Liu
author_sort Tongge Xu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Controlling room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) in organic materials through external stimuli is crucial for elucidating RTP mechanisms and engineering stimuli-responsive materials for various applications. However, compared to fluorescent materials, regulating RTP presents greater challenges due to its intricate photophysical processes, particularly in the quest for RTP materials with desirable stimulus-responsive properties. Here we show that when the interactions of iodine with neighboring molecules in 1,4-diiodotetrafluorobenzene (1,4-DITFB) crystals are tuned by pressure, exotic emission behaviors emerge. These emissions exhibit anomalous blue-shifted characteristics and enhanced intensities upon compression, accompanied by prolonged lifetimes. Notably, such piezochromic luminescence responses are impeded through a co-crystallization strategy that hinders iodine-iodine interactions. We further reveal that the observed anomalous emissions related to the unique state of iodine by providing additional orbitals shared with surrounding molecules. Our findings not only open pathways for designing tailored stimuli-responsive luminescent materials but also offer valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms governing organic RTP emitters.
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id doaj-art-0e8619fee12b4010b5d8ad6c2f2a8ea3
institution OA Journals
issn 2041-1723
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Nature Communications
spelling doaj-art-0e8619fee12b4010b5d8ad6c2f2a8ea32025-08-20T02:17:52ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-04-0116111110.1038/s41467-025-58864-6Room-temperature phosphorescence and anomalous piezochromism in molecular crystals enabled by iodine atomic orbital sharingTongge Xu0Chunguang Zhai1Ziyao Liu2Xiaoying Yang3Shuhe Hu4Yuchen Shang5Lei Yue6Jiajun Dong7Ran Liu8Quanjun Li9Mingguang Yao10Bingbing Liu11State Key Laboratory of High Pressure and Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory of High Pressure and Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory of High Pressure and Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory of High Pressure and Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory of High Pressure and Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory of High Pressure and Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory of High Pressure and Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory of High Pressure and Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory of High Pressure and Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory of High Pressure and Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory of High Pressure and Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory of High Pressure and Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin UniversityAbstract Controlling room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) in organic materials through external stimuli is crucial for elucidating RTP mechanisms and engineering stimuli-responsive materials for various applications. However, compared to fluorescent materials, regulating RTP presents greater challenges due to its intricate photophysical processes, particularly in the quest for RTP materials with desirable stimulus-responsive properties. Here we show that when the interactions of iodine with neighboring molecules in 1,4-diiodotetrafluorobenzene (1,4-DITFB) crystals are tuned by pressure, exotic emission behaviors emerge. These emissions exhibit anomalous blue-shifted characteristics and enhanced intensities upon compression, accompanied by prolonged lifetimes. Notably, such piezochromic luminescence responses are impeded through a co-crystallization strategy that hinders iodine-iodine interactions. We further reveal that the observed anomalous emissions related to the unique state of iodine by providing additional orbitals shared with surrounding molecules. Our findings not only open pathways for designing tailored stimuli-responsive luminescent materials but also offer valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms governing organic RTP emitters.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58864-6
spellingShingle Tongge Xu
Chunguang Zhai
Ziyao Liu
Xiaoying Yang
Shuhe Hu
Yuchen Shang
Lei Yue
Jiajun Dong
Ran Liu
Quanjun Li
Mingguang Yao
Bingbing Liu
Room-temperature phosphorescence and anomalous piezochromism in molecular crystals enabled by iodine atomic orbital sharing
Nature Communications
title Room-temperature phosphorescence and anomalous piezochromism in molecular crystals enabled by iodine atomic orbital sharing
title_full Room-temperature phosphorescence and anomalous piezochromism in molecular crystals enabled by iodine atomic orbital sharing
title_fullStr Room-temperature phosphorescence and anomalous piezochromism in molecular crystals enabled by iodine atomic orbital sharing
title_full_unstemmed Room-temperature phosphorescence and anomalous piezochromism in molecular crystals enabled by iodine atomic orbital sharing
title_short Room-temperature phosphorescence and anomalous piezochromism in molecular crystals enabled by iodine atomic orbital sharing
title_sort room temperature phosphorescence and anomalous piezochromism in molecular crystals enabled by iodine atomic orbital sharing
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58864-6
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