Developing Highly Luminescent Materials for Low-Cost and Energy-Efficient Lighting Applications

在材料研究部固态与材料化学项目的支持下，本项目旨在通过开发可替代的高发光材料，解决目前用于固态照明技术的稀土元素（REE）基荧光粉的成本和供应问题。这些无机-有机混合材料具有成本效益，可溶液处理，并且100%不含稀土。它们在一般照明和照明应用中显示出强大的前景。最终目标是达到与照明市场上的商业产品相当的高光效和色彩质量。该项目的成功实施将大大有助于减少对稀土元素的依赖。该项目还为研究生、本科生和高中生的研究和培训提供了一个极好的平台，同时也为罗格斯大学社区内外开展其他教育和推广活动提供了机会。本文将重点研究两种不含ree的杂化荧光粉材料：基于强发光MX簇模块的MX(L)族（M = Cu, Ag; X = Cl, Br， I; L = n配体），重点研究碘化亚铜杂化结构；以及由高发射分子荧光团（FPs）构成的Zn（FP）家族。研究小组的目标是更好地了解这两种杂化材料家族的光学行为，特别是光致发光的起源，无机-有机界面上原子和/或分子相互作用的性质，以及这种相互作用对这些材料的吸收和发射效率、颜色质量、结构完整性、水分和热稳定性的影响。这是通过结合最先进的理论方法和实验光谱技术来指导设计、合成和结构修改，并评估和理解光物理性质的真正集成和协同方法来实现的。这种方法使PI能够以系统的方式优化和增强目标功能，并对观察到的光学性质与混合体系的结构、组成和化学键之间的关系进行深入研究。

Non-Technical AbstractWith support from the Solid State and Materials Chemistry program in the Division of Materials Research, this project intends to address the cost and supply issues of rare-earth element (REE)-based phosphors currently used in solid state lighting technologies through the development of alternative highly luminescent materials. These inorganic-organic hybrid materials are cost-effective, solution-processable, and 100% free of REEs. They show strong promise for general lighting and illumination applications. The ultimate objective is to achieve high luminous efficacy and color quality comparable to commercial products in the lighting market. Successful implementation of this project can contribute significantly to reducing dependence on REEs. This project also serves as an excellent platform for the research and training of graduate, undergraduate, and high school students, as well as an opportunity to develop other educational and outreach activities within and beyond the Rutgers community.Technical AbstractTwo types of REE-free hybrid phosphor materials will be the focus of this study: the MX(L) family (M = Cu, Ag; X = Cl, Br, I; L = N-ligand) built on strongly-luminescent MX cluster modules, with an emphasis on cuprous iodide hybrid structures; and the Zn(FP) family constructed from highly-emissive molecular fluorophores (FPs). The research team aims to gain a better understanding of the optical behavior of the two hybrid material families and specifically of the origin of photoluminescence, the nature of atomic and/or molecular interactions at the inorganic-organic interface, and the effect of such interactions on the absorption and emission efficiency, color quality, structural integrity, and moisture and thermal stability of these materials. This is achieved through a truly integrated and synergistic approach that combines state-of-the-art theoretical methods and experimental spectroscopic techniques to guide design, synthesis, and structure modification, and to evaluate and understand the photophysical properties. This approach allows the PI to optimize and enhance the targeted functionality in a systematic manner and to conduct an in-depth study to correlate the relationship between observed optical properties and structure, composition, and chemical bonding of the hybrid systems.