The results show that the sensitivity of the NaYF₄:Yb³⁺/Ho³⁺/Tm³⁺ phosphors to temperature measurement is enhanced as well as the resolution, and the simultaneous action of multiple coupling energy levels can further improve the temperature precision.

Superhydrophobic and oleophilic sponges have been demonstrated as promising candidates for oil/water separation. However, there are still challenges in large-scale fabrication of superhydrophobic sponges with low cost and feasible method for industrial applications. Herein, we report a superhydrophobic and oleophilic melamine sponge functionalized by a uniform polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film that can be easily coated onto the sponge skeleton through UV-assisted thiol–ene click reactions. The PDMS films are characterized by a hierarchically striped microstructure with an average distance less than 2 μm. Because of the striped microstructure and the hydrophobic property of silicone, a high contact angle of 156.2° was achieved. Importantly, the interconnected open-cell structure of the melamine sponge was preserved by adapting the thickness of the PDMS film. The PDMS-coated melamine sponge exhibited a desirable absorption capacity of 103–179 times its own weight with oils and organic solvents. The excellent mechanical properties of melamine and the flexibility of PDMS enable the PDMS-coated melamine sponges to be squeezed repeatedly without collapsing. This study offers a robust and effective approach in large-scale preparation of a superhydrophobic sponge for large-scale oil spill containment and environmental remediation by the inexpensive commercial polymethylvinylsilicone and facile dip-coating/UV-curing method.

Mechanochromic luminogens are of significant importance in both academic and technical aspects. Thus far, most mechanochromic compounds exhibit bathochromically shifted emission upon grinding; the examples of those that exhibit blue-shifted emission still remain limited. Herein, a donor–acceptor–donor (D–A–D)-structured conjugate, namely 4,7-di(2-thienyl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (DTBT), comprising benzobis(1,2,5-thiadiazole) and thiophene units, has been carefully synthesized and investigated. DTBT exhibits typical intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) characteristics, crystallization-induced phosphorescence (CIP), and remarkable mechanochromism. Although it merely emits fluorescence in solutions with distinct ICT features, its crystals demonstrate bright-red room-temperature phosphorescence (616 nm) with efficiency up to 25.0% and generate yellow excimer fluorescence (578 nm) upon mechanical grinding, accompanying decreased lifetimes from 10.9 μs to 3.5 ns and a blue-shifted emission of 38 nm. These results highly indicate the feasibility to fabricate novel CIP luminogens with blue-shifted mechanochromism.

Organic room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) has drawn great attention owing to its promising applications in various fields. Hydrogen bond (H-bond) engineering has been proven to be a highly effective strategy to construct nonconventional luminescent materials. However, previous reports mainly emphasize on the enhancement of rigidity via H-bond engineering, and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Additionally, the investigation on moisture-resistance properties, which play a crucial role in preventing luminescent materials from the humidity induced quenching of RTP emission, remains lag far behind. Herein, we demonstrate a strategy for achieving nonconventional luminogens with excellent moisture resistance. Theoretical calculation was carried out to elucidate the H-bond energy between different H-bond active sites. Then, amide and carboxyl groups are selected as models to achieve RTP. The blends and random copolymers containing acrylic acid and acrylamide units with a high phosphorescent quantum efficiency (12.00%) and a decent lifetime are prepared; the afterglow can maintain for 1 month (26 °C, humidity: 80%). Benefiting from the targeting properties, the product is successfully applied for information encryption devices. It is believed that intermolecular H-bond-enhanced RTP emission with excellent humidity resistance will be extremely instructive for the further development of nonconventional luminogens.