Synthesis and Electrochemiluminescence of a Di-Boron Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitter

Recent advances in electrochemiluminescence (ECL) leveraging thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) have highlighted its potential for near-unity exciton harvesting. However, there are still very limited examples of TADF-ECL emitters. We present a rigid diboron-embedded multiple-resonance T...

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Main Authors: Xiaojie Zhou, Jun Cheng, Hongbo Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/8/1718
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author Xiaojie Zhou
Jun Cheng
Hongbo Wang
author_facet Xiaojie Zhou
Jun Cheng
Hongbo Wang
author_sort Xiaojie Zhou
collection DOAJ
description Recent advances in electrochemiluminescence (ECL) leveraging thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) have highlighted its potential for near-unity exciton harvesting. However, there are still very limited examples of TADF-ECL emitters. We present a rigid diboron-embedded multiple-resonance TADF emitter, which exhibits blue–green emission at 493 nm with a remarkably narrow bandwidth (FWHM = 22 nm) and minimized singlet-triplet energy gap (ΔE<sub>ST</sub> = 0.2 eV), achieving a 67% photoluminescence quantum yield. DFT calculations confirm the short-range charge transfer, enabling narrowband emission. Co-reactant-dependent ECL shows that tripropylamine (TPrA) improves the ECL efficiency from 11% (annihilation) to 51%, while benzoyl peroxide (BPO) yields 1% due to poor radical stabilization. ECL spectra align with photoluminescence, confirming the singlet-state dominance without exciplex interference. TPrA enhances stable radical formation and energy transfer, whereas BPO induces non-radiative losses. These findings establish molecular rigidity and co-reactant selection as pivotal factors in developing high-performance TADF-ECL systems, providing fundamental guidelines for designing organic electrochemiluminescent materials with optimized exciton harvesting efficiency.
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spelling doaj-art-ee7aef320fd04fd1b9bf4726b4f058242025-08-20T02:28:19ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492025-04-01308171810.3390/molecules30081718Synthesis and Electrochemiluminescence of a Di-Boron Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence EmitterXiaojie Zhou0Jun Cheng1Hongbo Wang2Key Laboratory of Flexible Optoelectronic Materials and Technology (Ministry of Education), Center for International Cooperation and Disciplinary Innovation in Sustainable Chemical Engineering, School of Optoelectronic Materials and Technology, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, ChinaDepartment of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, UKKey Laboratory of Flexible Optoelectronic Materials and Technology (Ministry of Education), Center for International Cooperation and Disciplinary Innovation in Sustainable Chemical Engineering, School of Optoelectronic Materials and Technology, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, ChinaRecent advances in electrochemiluminescence (ECL) leveraging thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) have highlighted its potential for near-unity exciton harvesting. However, there are still very limited examples of TADF-ECL emitters. We present a rigid diboron-embedded multiple-resonance TADF emitter, which exhibits blue–green emission at 493 nm with a remarkably narrow bandwidth (FWHM = 22 nm) and minimized singlet-triplet energy gap (ΔE<sub>ST</sub> = 0.2 eV), achieving a 67% photoluminescence quantum yield. DFT calculations confirm the short-range charge transfer, enabling narrowband emission. Co-reactant-dependent ECL shows that tripropylamine (TPrA) improves the ECL efficiency from 11% (annihilation) to 51%, while benzoyl peroxide (BPO) yields 1% due to poor radical stabilization. ECL spectra align with photoluminescence, confirming the singlet-state dominance without exciplex interference. TPrA enhances stable radical formation and energy transfer, whereas BPO induces non-radiative losses. These findings establish molecular rigidity and co-reactant selection as pivotal factors in developing high-performance TADF-ECL systems, providing fundamental guidelines for designing organic electrochemiluminescent materials with optimized exciton harvesting efficiency.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/8/1718electrochemiluminescencethermally activated delayed fluorescenceboronco-reactant ECL
spellingShingle Xiaojie Zhou
Jun Cheng
Hongbo Wang
Synthesis and Electrochemiluminescence of a Di-Boron Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitter
Molecules
electrochemiluminescence
thermally activated delayed fluorescence
boron
co-reactant ECL
title Synthesis and Electrochemiluminescence of a Di-Boron Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitter
title_full Synthesis and Electrochemiluminescence of a Di-Boron Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitter
title_fullStr Synthesis and Electrochemiluminescence of a Di-Boron Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitter
title_full_unstemmed Synthesis and Electrochemiluminescence of a Di-Boron Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitter
title_short Synthesis and Electrochemiluminescence of a Di-Boron Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitter
title_sort synthesis and electrochemiluminescence of a di boron thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitter
topic electrochemiluminescence
thermally activated delayed fluorescence
boron
co-reactant ECL
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/8/1718
work_keys_str_mv AT xiaojiezhou synthesisandelectrochemiluminescenceofadiboronthermallyactivateddelayedfluorescenceemitter
AT juncheng synthesisandelectrochemiluminescenceofadiboronthermallyactivateddelayedfluorescenceemitter
AT hongbowang synthesisandelectrochemiluminescenceofadiboronthermallyactivateddelayedfluorescenceemitter