Boron-Based Organic Functional Materials

The group is pursuing new reactions to create new structures with the aid of theoretical computation/machine learning, with particular emphasis on the discovery of novel boron-based organic materials for applications in electronics and biological systems. We have solid background in boron chemistry, photochemistry and photophysics, electrochemistry, luminescent materials, organic synthesis, as well as computational chemistry/machine learning. 

1) Boron-Based Stimuli-Responsive Materials

Stimuli-responsive materials have been extensively investigated due to their broad applications in optical switches, memory and storage. Our focus is the molecular engineering of luminescent materials. As a result, we create novel luminescent molecules sensitive to external stimuli, like light, heat, vapor, force, and so on.

2) Boron-Doped Nanographenes

Doping boron atoms into helical and planar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been regarded as an effective approach to tune optoelectronic properties. We are pursuing new boron-doped molecules, which could be applied in circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) or thermally-activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) based organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic field effect transistors (OFETs), as well as boron-doped polymers which could be used as nanowires.

3) Fluorescent Dyes

Fluorescence can be easily observed by our naked eyes, which could be used in probing through “on-off” or ratiometric fluorescence process. We are developing novel (NIR) fluorescent molecules that could be utilized in monitoring deleterious substances generated by pathological process (e.g. cancers and diabetes) , and confirming the key intermediates during the catalytic cycles.

4) Boron-Based Energetic Materials

1. High-Energy-Density Materials
2. Hydrogen-Storage Materials