Photon upconverting liquids: matrix-free molecular upconversion systems functioning in air.

A nonvolatile, in-air functioning liquid photon upconverting system is developed. A rationally designed triplet sensitizer (branched alkyl chain-modified Pt(II) porphyrin) is homogeneously doped in energy-harvesting liquid acceptors with a 9,10-diphenylanthracene unit. A significantly high upconversion quantum yield of ∼28% is achieved in the solvent-free liquid state, even under aerated conditions. The liquid upconversion system shows a sequence of efficient triplet energy transfer and migration of two itinerant excited states which eventually collide with each other to produce a singlet excited state of the acceptor. The observed insusceptibility of upconversion luminescence to oxygen indicates the sealing ability of molten alkyl chains introduced to liquefy chromophores. The involvement of the energy migration process in triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) provides a new perspective in designing advanced photon upconversion systems.