Long-Lasting Chemiluminescence by Aggregation-Induced Emission Surfactant with Ultralow Critical Micelle Concentration

Youkai Yu,¹Zhiqin Yuan*^,1 and Chao Lu*^,1,2

¹ Y. Yu, Dr. Z. Yuan and Prof. Dr. C. Lu State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Chemistry, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China

E-mail: yuanzq@mail.buct.edu.cn (Z. Yuan), luchao@mail.buct.edu.cn (C. Lu). Phone/Fax: +86 10 64411957.

² Prof. Dr. C. Lu Green Catalysis Center, and College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China

Keywords: long-lasting chemiluminescence, fluorescent surfactant, aggregation-induced emission

The development of green and simple chemiluminescence (CL) systems with intensive and long-lasting emission is highly desirable in lighting and extension of their applications. In this study, it is found that the involvement of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) surfactant could greatly enhance the CL of luminol–H₂O₂–Co²⁺system. The inserted hydrophobic tetraphenylethylene fluorophore in AIE is able to increase the hydrophobicity of alkyl chain and decrease the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of surfactant. The synergistic effect of micelle-improved enrichment and CL resonance energy transfer endows luminol–H₂O₂–Co²⁺system intensive and long-lasting emission under neutral pH conditions (pH 7.4). The visible emission is still observed even after 60 min. Our study has opened a new avenue for exploring green and simple effective CL systems through AIE surfactant with unltralow CMC toward various applications in lighting, optical sensing, and photocatalysis, etc.