Brightening the Microcrystals of Polyazine Iridium and Ruthenium Complexes via Light-Harvesting Energy Transfer

Luminescent nano/micro molecular crystals with well-defined shapes and morphologies have exhibited great potential for various photonic applications. The molecular orientation and packing greatly influence the optical and electronic characters of the crystals. Noncovalent intermolecular interactions can not only determine the growth direction but also induce the formation of polymorphs, bringing more possibilities for the property optimization and functional applications. Besides, light-harvesting energy transfer (LHEnT) is a vital process in natural photosynthesis, the mimic of which provides a simple and practical means for solar energy conversion and the preparation of luminescent materials. With an energy donor and acceptor pair with suitable energy levels and similar molecular size and solubility, it is convenient to fabricate LHEnT molecular crystals with tunable optoelectronic and emission properties by dispersing acceptors into the donor lattices.