Boron-Based Organic Functional Materials：Synthesis and Interactions with Light

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Yang group is pursuing new methodologies to create new structures and further disclose new properties and functions 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-Doped Pi-Conjugated Systems for Near-Infrared Light-Absorbing/Emitting Materials

Near-infrared (NIR) materials are regarded as substances that interact with NIR light, including the absorption and emission. Organic NIR materials are highlighted by the tunable properties and flexibility, as well as biocompatibility. Organic NIR absorbing materials have widely used in photovoltaics since almost half the energy reaching the earth’s surface from the sun is in the form of NIR radiation; NIR light is advantageous for biomedical and biosensing applications because of the weak absorption and autofluorescence of biological tissues in the NIR region. Introduction of boron atom is one of most effective strategies of constructing NIR molecules, for example BODIPY dyes and their derivatives. However, the highly efficient NIR materials are still scare and urgently required, particularly, the molar extinction efficiency, brightness, and wavelength of near-infrared (NIR) absorbing/emitting materials based on boron-doped pi-conjugated systems still need improvement. In this section, we will develop efficient synthetic methodologies of boron-doped pi-conjugated molecules with NIR characteristics.

2) Boron-Doped Pi-Conjugated Systems for Dual Emission Materials

Dual-emissive organic molecules refer to compounds that can emit two distinct colors of light upon
excitation. These molecules have attracted significant attention in various research areas due to their unique optical properties, such as bioimaging, chemical sensors, OLEDs, and information encryption. Non-Kasha emissions and simultaneous fluorescence (FL) and phosphorescence (PH) are two representative pathways to accomplish dual emission materials. In this section, we intend to systematically design and synthesize boron-doped systems modified by different heteroatoms paired to boron, heavy atoms like halogen atoms, and donor/acceptor with the purpose of color-tunable
dual emission materials which could be applied in OLEDs, information encryption, and bioimaging.

3) Boron-Based Molecular Switches for Molecular Solar Thermal (MOST) Energy Storage

Molecular solar thermal (MOST) energy storage materials have emerged as powerful tools for harnessing solar energy, which might become an alternative to photovoltaics and photocatalytic systems. MOST materials are light-responsive molecules that undergo photoisomerization to form a metastable structure that stores solar energy in chemical bonds. The stored energy could subsequently be released as heat upon a trigger. This project is closely focused on rational design and efficient synthesis of photoisomeric four-coordinated organoboron molecules, exploring the impact of different organoboron compounds structures on photoisomerization reaction, with the aim to achieve efficient molecular solar thermal energy storage.