Full-color processible afterglow organic small molecular glass

Abstract

Organic afterglow materials, known for their unique luminescent properties and diverse applications, have garnered significant attention in recent years. However, developing long-lasting, high-efficiency, full-color afterglow systems and exploring simple materials processing strategies for new applications are still challenging in this field. Herein, we rationally design a processable molecular glass and employ it as a host in a host-guest strategy to address these challenges. By strategically modifying the host via othyl-methylation, we successfully create a molecular glass and capture its temperature-dependent, processable viscous supercooled liquid state. High-efficiency full color from violet to near-infrared afterglow systems with ultralong lifetimes are developed by doping varied structural dopants. The underlying glass-forming and afterglow mechanisms are also clearly elucidated and verified. Moreover, the excellent glass-forming ability of the host and its viscous supercooled liquid enabled the glass system for large-area fabrication, shaping of objects with diverse 3D structures, and creation of flexible, meter-long afterglow fibers. This work offers significant potential for practical applications in advanced textiles, displays, and other fields.