Three NIR-emitting neutral Ir(III) complexes [Ir(iqbt)2 (dpm)] (1), [Ir(iqbt)2 (tta)] (2), and [Ir(iqbt)2 (dtdk)] (3) based on the 1-(benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-isoquinolinate (iqtb) were synthesized and characterized (dpm=2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionate; tta=2-thienoyltrifluoroacetonate; dtdk=1,3-di(thiophen-2-yl)propane-1,3-dionate). The compounds emit between λ=680 and 850 nm with high luminescence quantum yields (up to 16 %). By combining electrochemistry, photophysical measurements, and computational modelling, the relationship between the structure, energy levels, and properties were investigated. NIR-emitting, solution-processed phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices (PHOLEDs) were fabricated using the complexes. The devices show remarkable external quantum efficiencies (above 3 % with 1) with negligible efficiency roll-off values, exceeding the highest reported values for solution-processible NIR emitters.

The triplet-triplet annihilation based up-conversion process, involving a platinum octaethyl-porphyrin (PtOEP) as a sensitizer and tetraphenyl-pyrene (TPPy) as an emitter, has been investigated in homogeneous solutions of toluene, bromobenzene and anisole, and oil-in-water microemulsions of the TX-100 surfactant, where toluene constitutes the non-polar phase. In homogeneous solutions, the highest up-conversion quantum yield (of the order of 20%) has been achieved in toluene, being the solvent that has the lowest viscosity among those explored. The up-conversion emission from the PtOEP-TPPy pair has been then investigated in a toluene based oil-in-water microemulsion at three different concentrations of the solutes, showing quantum yields up to the order of 1%, under the same irradiation conditions, but different deoxygenating procedures. The results herein reported might represent a good starting point for a future investigation in microheterogeneous systems. An optimization of the microemulsion composition, in terms of surfactant, co-surfactant and toluene concentrations, could allow us to increase the sensitizer and emitter concentrations and set up the best operative conditions to obtain even higher up-conversion efficiencies.

Water-based photopolymerization in microreactor using compact UV fluorescent lamps can create a breakthrough technology to produce polymer latexes in a safer, more environmental-friendly and energy-efficient way.