Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) is a photophysical phenomenon correlated closely with the excited-state intramolecular motions. Although AIE has attracted increasing attention due to the significant applications in biomedical and optoelectronics, an in-depth understanding of the excited-state intramolecular motion has yet to be fully developed. Here we found the non-aromatic annulene derivative of cyclooctatetrathiophene shows typical AIE phenomenon in spite of its rotor-free structure. The underlying mechanism is investigated through photoluminescence spectra, time-resolved absorption spectra, theoretical calculations, circular dichroism as well as by pressure-dependent fluorescent spectra etc., which indicate that the aromaticity reversal from ground state to the excited state serves as a driving force for inducing the excited-state intramolecular vibration, leading to the AIE phenomenon. Therefore, aromaticity reversal is demonstrated as a reliable strategy to develop vibrational AIE systems. This work also provides a new viewpoint to understand the excited-state intramolecular motion behavior of lumiongens.

A benzoxazine with siloxane and phenyl sulfone units (BS‐b) was synthesized by using aminopropyltriethoxysilane, 4,4'‐dihydroxydiphenylsulfone and paraformaldehyde as precursors via Mannich condensation. Then the hydrolysis and polycondensation reactions of siloxane units were performed and benzoxazine bearing polysiloxanes (BS‐PSO) were obtained. The ring‐opening polymerization reactions of both BS‐b and BS‐PSO were studied by Fourier transform IR spectroscopy and DSC in non‐isothermal conditions. The kinetics of the polymerization of BS‐b were found to be well described by using an nth‐order kinetic model for n = 0.7 (activation energy 141 kJ mol−1). The BS‐PSO was also used to modify bisphenol‐A‐based benzoxazines (BA‐a), and the morphological structure and thermal properties of the copolymer were investigated. The TGA results indicate that the silane‐functional polybenzoxazines display enhanced initial decomposition temperature and char yields in comparison with poly(BA‐a). These results are believed to be important for the development of new flame‐retardant laminates. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry

The unsymmetric dithieno[3,2-b:3',4'-d]thiophene (ts-DTT) was efficiently synthesized, and two novel heptathienoacenes with linear and bull's horn shapes were designed and prepared via different ring cyclization connection manners. All intermediates and aimed heptathienoacenes were fully characterized by (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, and HRMS. Their UV-vis absorption behavior, fluorescence, and electrochemical properties are characterized. In addition, DFT quantum calculation was employed to further understand the electron distribution and the origin of the absorption bands.

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In this work, graphene oxide sheets are cut into graphene quantum dots (GQDs) by acidic oxidation, then GQDs are hydrothermally treated with ammonia (NH3) at 100°C to form amino-functionalized graphene quantum dots (N-GQDs). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) shows smaller dots in ammonia treated GQDs, and holey graphene structure is directly observed. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra confirm that NH3 can effectively react with epoxy and carboxyl groups to form hydroxylamine and amide groups, respectively. The absorption and photoluminescence (PL) properties of the samples are determined by ultraviolet-visible-near infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) spectra and steady-state fluorescence spectra. Three PL excitation peaks occurring at around 250, 290, and 350 nm are attributed to C＝C related π-π* transition, C-O-C and C＝O related nπ* transitions, respectively. After amino functionalization, the C-O-C related n-π* transition is suppressed, and the PL emission spectrum of N-GQDs is less excitation wavelength. The fluorescence quantum yield of the N-GQDs is 9.6%, which is enhanced by 32 times compared with that of the unmodified GQDs (~0.3%). Timeresolved PL spectra are also used to investigate the N-GQDs. The PL lifetimes depend on the emission wavelength and coincide with the PL spectrum, and are different from most fluorescent species. This result reveals the synergy and competition between defect derived photoluminescence and amino passivation of the N-GQDs. Compared with oxygen-related defects, nitrogen-related localized electronic states are expected to have a longer lifetime and enhanced radiative decay rates.