Abstract:

The development of materials with prolonged phosphorescence has garnered significant interest in various fields, including optoelectronics, bioimaging, and security. Here, we report a novel and facile approach to fabricate gelatin-based foams that exhibit ultralong organic phosphorescence. The gelatin foams are synthesized using a simple foaming process, followed by cross-linking and doping with a phosphorescent dye. The resulting foams exhibit remarkable phosphorescence properties, with an emission lifetime exceeding 10 seconds. This ultralong phosphorescence is attributed to the synergistic effect of the cross-linked gelatin network and the confinement of the phosphorescent dye within the foam structure.

The gelatin foams demonstrate excellent stability, both in terms of their physical structure and phosphorescence properties, even under ambient conditions. This makes them suitable for various practical applications, such as light-emitting displays, optical sensors, and biomedical imaging. Moreover, the biocompatible nature of gelatin further expands the potential applications of these foams in the biomedical field.

To demonstrate their applicability, we fabricate a prototype of a light-emitting device using the gelatin foams. The device exhibits bright and long-lasting phosphorescence, indicating the potential of these foams for use in optoelectronic applications. Additionally, we explore the potential of gelatin foams for sensing applications by investigating their response to various analytes. The results suggest that these foams can serve as effective sensing platforms for detecting specific substances.

In summary, we have successfully developed ultralong organic phosphorescence gelatin foams through a simple and versatile approach. The exceptional phosphorescence properties, combined with their stability and biocompatibility, make these foams promising candidates for a diverse range of optical applications, including optoelectronics, sensing, and bioimaging.