Restriction on molecular rotation of fluorophores reduces non-radiative decay channels and promotes strong fluorescence due to aggregation-enhanced emission (AEE) behavior. To evaluate the important role of restricted molecular rotation on AEE behavior, tetraphenylthiophene (TP) derivatives with two pyridine (Py) or two triphenylamine (TPA) terminals were synthesized and characterized to be AEE-active fluorophores. Because of the efficient hindered molecular rotation of the larger TPA terminals, TP-2TPA emitted with higher emission efficiency than TP-2Py with smaller Py terminals. In addition, Py and TPA terminals can serve as hydrogen-bond (H-bond) accepting groups to bind with H-bond donating hydroxyl groups in poly(vinyl phenol) (PVPh) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) to further reinforce rotational restriction on the TP-2Py and TP-2PTA fluorophores. TP-2Py and TP-2PTA were therefore blended with PVPh and PVA and the emissive properties of the resultant blends were characterized and compared with the unblended TP-2Py and TP-2PTA to emphasize the role of H-bond on restricted molecular rotation.

Mesophase soft carbon (MSC) and mesophase graphite (SMG), for use in comparative studies of high C-rate Lithium Ion Battery (LIB) anodes, were made by heating mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB) at 1300 °C and 3000 °C; respectively. The crystalline structures and morphologies of the MSC, SMG, and commercial hard carbon (HC) were investigated by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Additionally, their electrochemical properties, when used as anode materials in LIBs, were also investigated. The results show that MSC has a superior charging rate capability compared to SMG and HC. This is attributed to MSC having a more extensive interlayer spacing than SMG, and a greater number of favorably-oriented pathways when compared to HC.