A Luminescent Steroid-based Organogel: ON-OFF Photoswitching by Dopant Interplay and Templated Synthesis of Fluorescent Nanoparticles

VALERIA C. EDELSZTEIN; ELIZABETH A. JARES-ERIJMAN; KLAUS MÜLLEN; PABLO H. DI CHENNA; CARLA C. SPAGNUOLO

JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY

ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY

Lugar: CAMBRIDGE; Año: 2012 vol. 22 p. 21857 - 21861

0959-9428

The modulation of the fluorescence emission of a perylene dye between ON and OFF states was achieved with high efficiency by means of a diarylethene photochromic compound in an organogel medium. Fluorescent gels were prepared from a steroidal low molecular weight organogelator doped with the perylene fluorophore. The compatibility of the photochromic compound in this medium and the non-destructive readout capability were demonstrated. The dye doped organogel was further used as a template and an innovative method was employed to grow fluorescent silica spherical nanoparticles with physically and chemically admixed perylene dye.