Highly fluorescent aggregates modulated by surfactant structure and concentration.
The effects of anionic surfactants on the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature of cationic M-silole molecules have been studied. The electrostatic binding of M-silole with the surfactants greatly promotes the aggregation of the mixtures. The M-silole/surfactant aggregates at 1:1 charge ratio exhibit the maximum fluorescence intensity. Excess surfactant molecules will distribute the M-silole molecules into different micelles and weaken the fluorescence. The fluorescence intensity of the mixed M-silole/surfactant aggregates can be effectively modulated by choosing different surfactants. The gemini surfactants display a much stronger ability of enhancing fluorescence intensity than do the single-chain surfactants. Especially, the gemini surfactant with benzene rings shows the best performance in enhancing fluorescence of M-silole due to both the strongest aggregation ability and the pi-pi interaction with M-silole.
Yu
Defeng
D
Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China.
Zhang
Qun
Q
Wu
Chunxian
C
Wang
Yingxiong
Y
Peng
Lihua
L
Zhang
Deqing
D
Li
Zhibo
Z
Wang
Yilin
Y