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Clustering-triggered Emission of Cellulose and Its Derivatives

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Abstract

In recent years, nonconventional luminogens free of aromatic groups have attracted extensive attention due to their academic importance and promising wide applications. Whilst previous studies generally focused on fluorescence from aliphatic amine or carbonyl-containing systems, less attention has been paid to room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) and the systems with predominant oxygen functionalities. In this work, photophysical properties of the polyhydroxy polymers, including microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), 2-hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), and cellulose acetate (CA), were studied and compared. While MCC, HEC, and HPC solids showed bright emission alongside distinct RTP, CA demonstrated relatively low intensity of solid emission without noticeable RTP. Their emissions were explained in terms of the clustering-triggered emission (CTE) mechanism and conformation rigidification. Additionally, on account of its intrinsic emission, concentrated HEC aqueous solution could be used as the probe for the detection of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP).

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51603050 and 51863006), the Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi (Nos. 2016GXNSFBA-380196, 2016GXNSFBA380064), Guangxi University Young and Middle-aged Teachers Basic Ability Promotion Project (No. KY2016YB316), and The Open Project Foundation of Guangxi Ministry-Province Jointly-Constructed Cultivation Base for State Key Laboratory of Processing for Non-ferrous Metal and Featured Materials (15-KF-10).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of New Processing Technology for Non-ferrous Metals and Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China

    Lin-Lin Du, Lin-Min Zou, Yuan-Li Liu, Yong-Yang Gong & Chun Wei

  2. College of Pharmacy, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541004, China

    Bing-Li Jiang

  3. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Xiao-Hong Chen, Yun-Zhong Wang & Wang-Zhang Yuan

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  1. Lin-Lin Du
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Correspondence to Yong-Yang Gong, Chun Wei or Wang-Zhang Yuan.

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Du, LL., Jiang, BL., Chen, XH. et al. Clustering-triggered Emission of Cellulose and Its Derivatives. Chin J Polym Sci 37, 409–415 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-019-2215-2

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