Self-assembly is an essential process that can precisely organize molecules into supramolecular systems by artificial control. Introducing this concept into triplet-triplet annihilation-based upconversion(TTA-UC) system, triplet-triplet energy transfer and triplet-triplet annihilation can be regulated easily, thus the upconversion emission efficiency might be significantly improved. This review concentrates on the research progress about supramolecular system-based TTA-UC, including organogel, membrane, nanoparticles, polymer films, host-guest complexes, etc. Instead of conventional solution system, supramolecular systems provide ideal matrixes, which not only avoid the fluorescence quenching caused by aggregation and phase-segregation of dye molecules, but also prevent the triplet oxygen caused quenching. Meanwhile, supramolecular systems are facile enough to integrate TTA-UC system into devices. Furthermore, integrating TTA-UC and different supramolecular systems, variety properties can be achieved, such as temperature responsibility, all-or-none switching, and so on. In brief, supramolecular systems make TTA-UC system more potential to be applied in many fields, such as photonic devices, solar cell, nano-medical, bio-imagining and so forth.
Contents
1 Introduction
2 Triplet-triplet annihilation-based photon upconversion
3 Research progress of the upconvertion supramolecular systems
3.1 Upconversion in gel system
3.2 Upconversion in membrane system
3.3 Upconversion in polymer nanoparticle system
3.4 Upconversion in host-guest complex system
3.5 Upconversion in polymer film system
4 Conclusion and outlook