Zhang Yang, Tan Jin-Chong
Multifunctional Materials & Composites (MMC) Laboratory, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PJ, UK.
iScience. 2021 Aug 25;24(9):103035. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103035. eCollection 2021 Sep 24.
Tailored luminescent guest@metal-organic framework (Guest@MOF) materials with outstanding photophysical properties are enabling materials for emergent technologies in smart sensors and optoelectronics. However, the practical utility of Guest@MOF currently is impaired by its poor stability and difficult-to-handle powder form. Here, we combine a luminescent-sensing Guest@MOF system with a non-luminescent polymer matrix and, for the first time, demonstrated the easy-to-apply electrospinning of luminescent fibers comprising nanocrystals of RhB@ZIF-71 (rhodamine B@zeolitic imidazolate framework-71) homogeneously dispersed in a polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) matrix. The luminescence of RhB@ZIF-71/PVDF fiber is tunable and exhibits a quantum yield exceeding 90%. Compared with RhB fluorophore in PVDF fiber, the ZIF-71 (host) protects the nanoconfined RhB guest molecules (especially the J-aggregates of RhB), giving the composite fiber its unique thermofluorochromic response and enhanced thermal stability to 200°C. Our results reveal the exciting opportunities for implementing electrospun luminescent fibers functionalized with bespoke Guest@MOF nanocrystals for multifunctional device applications.
具有出色光物理性质的定制发光客体@金属有机框架（Guest@MOF）材料是智能传感器和光电子等新兴技术的赋能材料。然而，目前Guest@MOF的实际应用受到其稳定性差和粉末形式难以处理的影响。在此，我们将发光传感Guest@MOF系统与非发光聚合物基质相结合，首次展示了包含均匀分散在聚偏二氟乙烯（PVDF）基质中的RhB@ZIF-71（罗丹明B@沸石咪唑酯框架-71）纳米晶体的发光纤维易于应用的静电纺丝过程。RhB@ZIF-71/PVDF纤维的发光是可调谐的，量子产率超过90%。与PVDF纤维中的RhB荧光团相比，ZIF-71（主体）保护了纳米限域的RhB客体分子（特别是RhB的J-聚集体），赋予复合纤维独特的热荧光变色响应，并将热稳定性提高到200°C。我们的结果揭示了利用定制的Guest@MOF纳米晶体功能化的静电纺丝发光纤维实现多功能器件应用的令人兴奋的机会。
