Duplicating "sunlight'' from simple WOLEDs for lighting applications

Simple single-dopant white organic light-emitting devices (WOLEDs) with optimized efficiency/color quality/brightness trade-offs are developed; the white light produced shows the best color quality ever exhibited by WOLEDs at very high brightness, and is even able to duplicate the natural sunlight source.

Facile chemical conversion synthesis and luminescence properties of uniform Ln3+ (Ln = Eu, Tb)-doped NaLuF4 nanowires and LuBO3 microdisks

Uniform NaLuF(4) nanowires and LuBO(3) microdisks have been successfully prepared by a designed chemical conversion method. The lutetium precursor nanowires were first prepared through a simple hydrothermal process. Subsequently, uniform NaLuF(4) nanowires and LuBO(3) microdisks were synthesized at the expense of the precursor by a hydrothermal conversion process. The whole process was carried out in aqueous condition without any organic solvents, surfactant, or catalyst. The conversion processes from precursor to the final products have been investigated in detail. The as-obtained Eu(3+) and Tb(3+)-doped LuBO(3) microdisks and NaLuF(4) nanowires show strong characteristic red and green emissions under ultraviolet excitation or low-voltage electron beam excitation. Moreover, the luminescence colors of the Eu(3+) and Tb(3+) codoped LuBO(3) samples can be tuned from red, orange, yellow, and green-yellow to green by simply adjusting the relative doping concentrations of the activator ions under a single wavelength excitation, which might find potential applications in the fields such as light display systems and optoelectronic devices.

A simple method to prepare titania nanomaterials of core-shell structure, hollow nanospheres and mesoporous nanoparticles

A simple method to prepare titania nanomaterials of core-shell structure, hollow nanospheres and mesoporous nanoparticles has been developed. The core-shell nanostructures with NH4Cl as core and TiO2 center dot xH(2)O-NH4Cl as shell were prepared in nonaqueous system by the deposition on the surface of the aggregated NH4Cl crystals, which could be transformed into mesoporous anatase nanoparticles or hollow nanospheres by calcination at 500A degrees C or extraction with methanol, respectively. The hierarchical mesoporous nanostructures benefited the photocatalytic activities of the resultant titania nanomaterials, demonstrated by the UV light photodegradation of Methyl Orange.

Monodisperse and core-shell-structured SiO2@YBO3 : Eu3+ spherical particles: Synthesis and characterization

Y0.9Eu0.1BO3 phosphor layers were deposited on monodisperse SiO2 particles of different sizes (300, 570, 900, and 1200 nm) via a sol-gel process, resulting in the formation of core-shell-structured SiO2@Y0.9Eu0.1BO3 particles. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL), and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra as well as lifetimes were employed to characterize the resulting composite particles. The results of XRD, FE-SEM, and TEM indicate that the 800 degrees C annealed sample consists of crystalline YBO3 shells and amorphous SiO2 cores, in spherical shape with a narrow size distribution. Under UV (240 nm) and VUV (172 nm) light or electron beam (1-6 kV) excitation, these particles show the characteristic D-5(0)-F-7(1-4) orange-red emission lines of Eu3+ with a quantum yield ranging from 36% (one-layer Y0.9Eu0.1BO3 on SiO2) to 54% (four-layer Y0.9Eu0.1BO3 on SiO2).

Synthesis and characterization of high-quality ZnS, ZnS : Mn2+, and ZnS : Mn2+/ZnS (core/shell) luminescent nanocrystals

High-quality ZnS, ZnS:Mn2+, and ZnS:Mn2+/ZnS (core/shell) nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized via a high-boiling solvent process and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. The monodisperse ZnS NCs (size = 8 nm), which self-assembled into several micrometer-sized domains, were achieved by adopting poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in the reaction process (without using a size-selection process). The obtained ZnS:Mn2+ and ZnS:Mn2+/ZnS core/shell NCs are highly crystalline and quasimonodisperse with an average particle size of 6.1 and 8.4 nm, respectively. All of the as-formed NCs can be well dispersed in hexane to form stable and clear colloidal solutions, which show strong visible emission (blue for ZnS and red-orange for ZnS:Mn2+ and ZnS:Mn2+/ZnS) under UV excitation. The growth of a ZnS shell on ZnS:Mn2+ NCs, that is, the formation of ZnS:Mn2+/ZnS core/shell NCs, resulted in a 30% enhancement in the PL intensity with respect to that of bare ZnS:Mn2+ NCs due to the elimination of the surface defects.

Spherical SiO2@GdPO4 : Eu3+ core-shell phosphors: Sol-gel synthesis and characterization

Nanocrystalline GdPO4 : Eu3+ phosphor layers were coated on non-aggregated, monodisperse and spherical SiO2 particles by Pechini sol-gel method, resulting in the formation of core-shell structured SiO2@GdPO4 : Eu3+ particles. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL), low-voltage cathodoluminescence (CL), time-resolved PL spectra and lifetimes were used to characterize the core-shell structured materials. Both XRD and FT IR results indicate that GdPO4 layers have been successfully coated on the SiO2 particles, which can be further verified by the images of FESEM and TEM. Under UV light excitation, the SiO2@GdPO4: Eu3+ phosphors show orange-red luminescence with Eu(3+)sD(0)-F-7(1) (593 nm) as the most prominent group. The PL excitation and emission spectra suggest that an energy transfer occurs from Gd3+ to Eu3+ in SiO2@GdPO4: Eu3+ phosphors. The obtained core-shell phosphors have potential applications in FED and PDP devices.

A biofuel cell harvesting energy from glucose-air and fruit juice-air

The membraneless biofuel cell (BFC) is facile prepared based on glucose oxidase and laccase as anodic and cathodic catalyst, respectively, by using 1,1'-dicarboxyferrocene as the mediators of both anode and cathode. The BFC can work by taking glucose as fuel in air-saturated solution, in which air serves as the oxidizer of the cathode. More interestingly, the fruit juice containing glucose, e.g. grape, banana or orange juice as the fuels substituting for glucose can make the BFC work. The BFC shows several advantages which have not been reported to our knowledge: (1) it is membraneless BFC which can work with same mediator on both anode and cathode; (2) fruit juice can act as fuels of BFCs substituting for usually used glucose; (3) especially, the orange juice can greatly enhance the power output rather than that of glucose, grape or banana juice. Besides, the facile and simple preparation procedure and easy accessibility of fruit juice as well as air being whenever and everywhere imply that our system has promising potential for the development and practical application of BFCs.

Charge carrier transporting, photoluminescent, and electroluminescent properties of zinc(II)-2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazolate complex

Zinc(II)-2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazolate complex is an excellent white-light-emitting material. Despite some studies devoted to this complex, no information on the real origin of the unusually broad electroluminescent (EL) emission is available. Therefore, we investigate photoluminescent and EL properties of the zinc complex. Orange phosphorescent emission at 580 nm was observed for the complex in thin film at 77 K, whereas only fluorescent emission was obtained at room temperature. Molecular orbitals, excitation energy, and emission energy of the complex were investigated using quantum chemical calculations. We fabricated the device with a structure of ITO/F16CuPc(5.5 nm)/Zn-complex/Al, where F16CuPc is hexadecafluoro copper phthalocyanine. The EL spectra varied strongly with the thickness of the emissive layer. We observed a significant change in the emission spectra with the viewing angles. Optical interference effects and light emission originating both from fluorescence and from phosphorescence can explain all of the observed phenomena, resulting in the broad light emission for the devices based on the Zn complex. We calculated the charge transfer integral and the reorganization energy to explain why the Zn complex is a better electron transporter than a hole transporter.

Novel heteroleptic Cu-I complexes with tunable emission color for efficient phosphorescent light-emitting diodes

A series of orange-red to red phosphorescent heteroleptic Cu-I complexes (the first ligand: 2,2 '-biquinoline (bq), 4,4 '-diphenyl2,2 '-biquinoline (dpbq) or 3,3 '-methylen-4,4 '-diphenyl-2,2 '-biquinoline (mdpbq); the second ligand: triphenylphosphine or bis[2-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl]ether (DPEphos)) have been synthesized and fully characterized. With highly rigid bulky biquinoline-type ligands, complexes [Cu(mdpbq)(PPh3)(2)](BF4) and [Cu(mdpbq)(DPEphos)](BF4) emit efficiently in 20 wt % PMMA films with photoluminescence quantum yield of 0.56 and 0.43 and emission maximum of 606 nm and 617 nm, respectively. By doping these complexes in poly(vinyl carbazole) (PVK) or N-(4-(carbazol-9-yl)phenyl)-3,6-bis(carbazol-9-yl) carbazole (TCCz), phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) were fabricated with various device structures. The complex [Cu(mdpbq)(DPEphos)](BF4) exhibits the best device performance. With the device structure of ITO/PEDOT/ TCCz:[Cu(mdpbq)(DPEphos)](BF4) (15 wt %)/TPBI/LiF/Al (III), a current efficiency up to 6.4 cd A(-1) with the Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.61, 0.39) has been realized. To our best knowledge, this is the first report of efficient mononuclear Cu complexes with red emission.

Synthesis, structure and luminescence properties of zinc (II) complexes with terpyridine derivatives as ligands

Five zinc (II) complexes (1-5) with 4 '-phenyl-2,2 ':6 ',2 ''-terpyridine (ptpy) derivatives as ligands have been synthesized and fully characterized. The para-position of phenyl in ptpy is substituted by the group (R), i.e. tert-butyl (t-Bu), hexyloxy (OHex), carbazole-9-yl (Cz), naphthalen-1-yl-phenyl-amine-N-yl (NPA) and diphenyl amine-N-yl (DPA), with different electron-donating ability. With increasing donor ability of the R, the emission color of the complexes in film was modulated from violet (392 nm) to reddish orange (604 nm). The photoexcited luminescence exhibits significant solvatochromism because the emission of the complexes involves the intra-ligand charge transfer (ILCT) excited state. The electrochemical investigations show that the complexes with stronger electro-donating substituent have lower oxidation potential and then higher HOMO level. The electroluminescence (EL) properties of these zinc (II) complexes were studied with the device structure of ITO/PEDOT/Zn (II) complex: PBD:PMMA/BCP/AlQ/ LiF/Al. Complexes 3, 4 and 5 exhibit EL wavelength at 552, 600 and 609 nm with maximum current efficiency of 5.28, 2.83 and 2.00 cd/A, respectively.

Copolymers derived from bismaleimide oligomer with active solvent

An oligomer from 4, 4'-bis(maleimido)diphenyl methane and methylenedianiline were dissolved in active solvent N,N-dimethyl acrylamide in a solid content up to 50-70%; the solution was poured in a sheet-shaped module and irradiated b y Co-60 with the dose from 20 to 350 kGy at room temperature. The polymerized sheet was postcured at 180degreesC to obtain a transparent red-orange sheet with tensile strength above 100 MPa. The glass transition temperature before and after postcuring was around 100degreesC and 150-180degreesC, respectively. Styrene was used along with DMAA to decrease the water absorption for the copolymers.

Vaterite-type YBO3 : Eu3+ crystals: hydrothermal synthesis, morphology and photoluminescence properties

Vaterite-type YBO3:Eu3+ crystals with interesting flower and hedgehog fungus-like structures composed of nanosheets were obtained by controlled crystallization of Y2O3 and Eu2O3 in H3BO3 solutions under acidic hydrothermal (HT) conditions. Nanosheets of uniform thicknesses were formed by preferential crystal growth along the (100) crystallographic plane and specific three-dimensional structures were further developed through a homocentric growth mechanism. Optical emission measurements showed that the HT-grown nanosheet crystals exhibited a higher ratio of the emitted red-to-orange light ratio than crystals grown from solid-state reactions. The photoluminescence intensity and emission lifetimes were also studied as a function of the Eu3+ dopant concentration and the HT synthesis temperature. The effect of some additives: a chelating ligand, a surfactant and a polymer, on the YBO3:Eu3+ crystals morphology was also investigated.

Luminescent properties of Gd2Ti2O7 : Eu3+ phosphor films prepared by sol-gel process

Gd2Ti2O7: Eu3+ thin film phosphors were fabricated by a sol-gel process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra as well as lifetimes were used to characterize the resulting films. The results of XRD indicated that the films began to crystallize at 800 degreesC and the crystallinity increased with the elevation of annealing temperatures. Uniform and crack free phosphor films were obtained, which mainly consisted of grains with an average size of 70 nm. The doped Eu3+ showed orange-red emission in crystalline Gd2Ti2O7 phosphor films due to an energy transfer from Gd2Ti2O7 host to them. Both the lifetimes and PL intensity of the Eu3+ increased with increasing the annealing temperature from 800 to 1000 degreesC, and the optimum concentrations for Eu3+ were determined to be 9 at.%. of Gd3+ in Gd2Ti2O7 film host.

Citrate-gel synthesis and luminescent properties of alpha-Zn-3(PO4)(2) doped with Eu3+

By using inorganic salts as raw materials and citric acid as complexing agent, alpha-Zn-3(PO4)(2) and Eu3+ doped alpha-Zn-3(PO4)(2) phosphor powders were prepared by a citrate-gel process. X-ray diffraction, (XRD), TG - DTA, FT - IR and luminescence excitation and emission spectra were used to characterize the resulting products. The results of XRD reveal that the powders begin to crystallize at 500 degreesC and pure alpha-Zn-3(PO4)(2) phase is obtained at 800 degreesC. And the results of XRD reveal that Eu3+ exists Lis EoPO(4) ill the powder. In the phosphor powders, the Eu3+ shows its characteristic red-orange (592 nm, D-5(0) - F-7(1)) emission and has no quenching concentration.

Luminescence properties of CdSiO3 : Mn2+ phosphor

A novel long-lasting phosphor CdSiO3:Mn2+ is reported in this paper. The Mn2+-doped CdSiO3 phosphor emits orange light with CIE chromaticity coordinates x = 0.5814 and y = 0.4139 under 254 nm UV light excitation. In the emission spectrum of 1% Mn2+-doped CdSiO3 phosphor, there is a broad emission band centered at 575 nm which can be attributed to the,pin-forbidden transition of the d-orbital electron associated with the Mn2+ ion. The phosphorescence can be seen by the naked eyes in the dark clearly even after the 254 nm UV irradiation have been removed for about 1 h. The mechanism of the origin of the long-lasting phosphorescence was discussed using the thermoluminescence curves.