RESUMEN

Afterglow imaging that detects photons after cessation of optical excitation avoids tissue autofluorescence and thus possesses higher sensitivity than traditional fluorescence imaging. Purely organic molecules with room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) have emerged as a new library of benign afterglow agents. However, most RTP luminogens only emit visible light with shallow tissue penetration, constraining their in vivo applications. This study presents an organic RTP nanoprobe (mTPA-N) with emission in the NIR range for in vivo afterglow imaging. Such a probe is composed of RTP molecule (mTPA) as the phosphorescent generator and an NIR-fluorescent dye as the energy acceptor to enable room-temperature phosphorescence resonance energy transfer (RT-PRET), ultimately resulting in redshifted phosphorescent emission at 780 nm. Because of the elimination of background noise and redshifted afterglow luminescence in a biologically transparent window, mTPA-N permits imaging of lymph nodes in living mice with a high signal-to-noise ratio. This study thus opens up a universal approach to develop organic RTP luminogens into NIR afterglow imaging agents via construction of RT-PRET.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Organic luminescence with different forms continues to be one of the most active research fields in science and technology. Herein, an ultra-simple organic molecule (TPA-B), which exhibits both mechanoluminescence (ML) and photo-induced room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) in the crystalline state, provides an opportunity to reveal the internal mechanism of ML and the dynamic process of photo-induced RTP in the same molecule. Through the detailed investigation of photophysical properties together with crystal structures, the key role of molecular packing and intermolecular interactions was highlighted in the luminescence response by mechanical and light stimulus, affording efficient strategies to design potential smart functional materials with multiple luminescence properties.