Organic long-persistent luminescence stimulated by visible light in p-type systems based on organic photoredox catalyst dopants

Organic long-persistent-luminescent (OLPL) materials demonstrating hour-long photoluminescence have practical advantages in applications owing to their flexible design and easy processability. However, the energy absorbed in these materials is typically stored in an intermediate charge-separated state that is unstable when exposed to oxygen, thus preventing persistent luminescence in air unless oxygen penetration is suppressed through crystallization. Moreover, OLPL materials usually require ultraviolet excitation. Here we overcome such limitations and demonstrate amorphous OLPL systems that can be excited by radiation up to 600 nm and exhibit persistent luminescence in air. By adding cationic photoredox catalysts as electron-accepting dopants in a neutral electron-donor host, stable charge-separated states are generated by hole diffusion in these blends. Furthermore, the addition of hole-trapping molecules extends the photoluminescence lifetime. By using a p-type host less reactive to oxygen and tuning the donor–acceptor energy gap, our amorphous blends exhibit persistent luminescence stimulated by visible light even in air, expanding the applicability of OLPL materials.