Photon Upconverted Emission Based on Dye-Sensitized Triplet–Triplet Annihilation in Silica Sol–Gel System

Photon upconverted emission based on dye-sensitized triplet-triplet annihilation was observed in silica gel systems containing Pt(II) octaethylporphyrin (triplet sensitizer) and 9,10-diphenylanthracene (singlet emitter). The triplet sensitizer was encapsulated and highly dispersed in the silica gels prepared by the sol-gel method. The singlet emitter was adsorbed on the silica gel pores accessible to the outside. Phosphorescence of the triplet sensitizer was partially quenched, and the singlet emission was enhanced with an increase in the concentration of the singlet emitter. The emission intensity increased in proportion to the approximate square of the irradiation power. The triplet energy transfer from some of the encapsulated triplet sensitizer molecules to the adsorbed singlet emitter molecules was observed in the silica gels followed by the triplet-triplet annihilation and upconverted singlet emission. The phosphorescence quenching and upconverted singlet emission were more significantly observed in the gel dried at a lower temperature (wetter gel). The wetter gel contained higher amounts of solvent and water molecules, in which the triplet sensitizer and singlet emitter should collide and then the sensitized emitters should collide between themselves during their excited-state lifetime. The photon upconversion process required the triplet sensitizer and singlet emitter molecules to be in an environment similar to the solvents.