Chemistry in Pictures: Light show in a vial

When we talk about fluorescence, we’re referring to electrons absorbing light energy and releasing that energy again as a different color of light. Usually this transition happens between a so-called singlet state and a ground state in a molecule. But regular-old fluorescent molecules don’t capture all the light that hits them, which means some energy goes to waste as heat and never gets re-emitted as fluorescence. Evgeny A. Mostovich of Novosibirsk State University wants to change that using thermally activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) compounds such as the one in this vial. TADF compounds fluoresce as a result of electronic transitions involving singlet states as well as triplet states that are energetically similar. In theory, using both of these transitions could make cheaper, much more efficient organic light-emitting diodes.

Submitted by Evgeny A. Mostovich. Follow @evgenymostovich on Instagram.

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