Deciphering a volcano-shaped relationship between radical stability and reticular electrochemiluminescence

Abstract Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is a light-emitting process in which the stability of electrochemically generated radicals has a crucial impact on the efficiency and durability of excited state generation. Therefore, deciphering a relationship between radical stability and ECL performance is...

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Main Authors: Haocheng Xu, Rengan Luo, Haifeng Lv, Tianrui Liu, Qiaobo Liao, Yandong Wang, Ziyan Zhong, Xiaojun Wu, Jianping Lei, Kai Xi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56009-3
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author Haocheng Xu
Rengan Luo
Haifeng Lv
Tianrui Liu
Qiaobo Liao
Yandong Wang
Ziyan Zhong
Xiaojun Wu
Jianping Lei
Kai Xi
author_facet Haocheng Xu
Rengan Luo
Haifeng Lv
Tianrui Liu
Qiaobo Liao
Yandong Wang
Ziyan Zhong
Xiaojun Wu
Jianping Lei
Kai Xi
author_sort Haocheng Xu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is a light-emitting process in which the stability of electrochemically generated radicals has a crucial impact on the efficiency and durability of excited state generation. Therefore, deciphering a relationship between radical stability and ECL performance is highly appealing. In this work, three sp2 carbon-conjugated covalent organic framework (COF) reticular nanoemitters compositing of same pyrene luminophores but different acrylonitrile linkers are designed with progressive electron affinities, named as CN-COF-1, 2, and 3. By precisely modulating the electron affinity of CN-COFs, a volcano relationship between ECL and radical stability is discovered with 78 folds enhancement in ECL intensity. Density functional theoretical calculations indicate that CN-COF-2 exhibits moderate radical stabilization capacity as well as efficient electron transport between the pyrene cores, facilitating ECL generation. Significantly, the appropriate radical stability of CN-COF-2 not only achieves the self-enhanced cathodic ECL but also promotes durability of the ECL intensity. The rational regulation of radical stability paves the way for developing efficient reticular nanoemitters and decoding the ECL fundamentals.
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spelling doaj-art-91dbfe09f2b04606b7e3aeb7f5706b662025-08-20T02:16:49ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-02-011611910.1038/s41467-025-56009-3Deciphering a volcano-shaped relationship between radical stability and reticular electrochemiluminescenceHaocheng Xu0Rengan Luo1Haifeng Lv2Tianrui Liu3Qiaobo Liao4Yandong Wang5Ziyan Zhong6Xiaojun Wu7Jianping Lei8Kai Xi9State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing UniversityState Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing UniversityState Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Material Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of ChinaState Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing UniversityState Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing UniversityState Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing UniversityState Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing UniversityState Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Material Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of ChinaState Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing UniversityState Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing UniversityAbstract Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is a light-emitting process in which the stability of electrochemically generated radicals has a crucial impact on the efficiency and durability of excited state generation. Therefore, deciphering a relationship between radical stability and ECL performance is highly appealing. In this work, three sp2 carbon-conjugated covalent organic framework (COF) reticular nanoemitters compositing of same pyrene luminophores but different acrylonitrile linkers are designed with progressive electron affinities, named as CN-COF-1, 2, and 3. By precisely modulating the electron affinity of CN-COFs, a volcano relationship between ECL and radical stability is discovered with 78 folds enhancement in ECL intensity. Density functional theoretical calculations indicate that CN-COF-2 exhibits moderate radical stabilization capacity as well as efficient electron transport between the pyrene cores, facilitating ECL generation. Significantly, the appropriate radical stability of CN-COF-2 not only achieves the self-enhanced cathodic ECL but also promotes durability of the ECL intensity. The rational regulation of radical stability paves the way for developing efficient reticular nanoemitters and decoding the ECL fundamentals.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56009-3
spellingShingle Haocheng Xu
Rengan Luo
Haifeng Lv
Tianrui Liu
Qiaobo Liao
Yandong Wang
Ziyan Zhong
Xiaojun Wu
Jianping Lei
Kai Xi
Deciphering a volcano-shaped relationship between radical stability and reticular electrochemiluminescence
Nature Communications
title Deciphering a volcano-shaped relationship between radical stability and reticular electrochemiluminescence
title_full Deciphering a volcano-shaped relationship between radical stability and reticular electrochemiluminescence
title_fullStr Deciphering a volcano-shaped relationship between radical stability and reticular electrochemiluminescence
title_full_unstemmed Deciphering a volcano-shaped relationship between radical stability and reticular electrochemiluminescence
title_short Deciphering a volcano-shaped relationship between radical stability and reticular electrochemiluminescence
title_sort deciphering a volcano shaped relationship between radical stability and reticular electrochemiluminescence
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56009-3
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