@article{KimLiessStolteetal.2021,
  author    = {Kim, Jin Hong and Liess, Andreas and Stolte, Matthias and Krause, Ana-Maria and Stepanenko, Vladimir and Zhong, Chuwei and Bialas, David and Spano, Frank and W{\"u}rthner, Frank},
  title     = {An Efficient Narrowband Near-Infrared at 1040 nm Organic Photodetector Realized by Intermolecular Charge Transfer Mediated Coupling Based on a Squaraine Dye},
  series = {Advanced Materials},
  volume    = {33},
  journal   = {Advanced Materials},
  number    = {26},
  doi       = {10.1002/adma.202100582},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-256374},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {A highly sensitive short-wave infrared (SWIR, λ > 1000 nm) organic photodiode (OPD) is described based on a well-organized nanocrystalline bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) active layer composed of a dicyanovinyl-functionalized squaraine dye (SQ-H) donor material in combination with PC\(_{61}\)BM. Through thermal annealing, dipolar SQ-H chromophores self-assemble in a nanoscale structure with intermolecular charge transfer mediated coupling, resulting in a redshifted and narrow absorption band at 1040 nm as well as enhanced charge carrier mobility. The optimized OPD exhibits an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 12.3\% and a full-width at half-maximum of only 85 nm (815 cm\(^{-1}\)) at 1050 nm under 0 V, which is the first efficient SWIR OPD based on J-type aggregates. Photoplethysmography application for heart-rate monitoring is successfully demonstrated on flexible substrates without applying reverse bias, indicating the potential of OPDs based on short-range coupled dye aggregates for low-power operating wearable applications.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ShenBialasHechtetal.2021,
  author    = {Shen, Chia-An and Bialas, David and Hecht, Markus and Stepanenko, Vladimir and Sugiyasu, Kazunori and W{\"u}rthner, Frank},
  title     = {Polymorphism in squaraine dye aggregates by self-assembly pathway differentiation: panchromatic tubular dye nanorods versus J-aggregate nanosheets},
  series = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition},
  journal   = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition},
  number    = {21},
  edition   = {60},
  doi       = {10.1002/anie.202102183},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-256443},
  pages     = {11949-11958},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {A bis(squaraine) dye equipped with alkyl and oligoethyleneglycol chains was synthesized by connecting two dicyanomethylene substituted squaraine dyes with a phenylene spacer unit. The aggregation behavior of this bis(squaraine) was investigated in non-polar toluene/tetrachloroethane (98:2) solvent mixture, which revealed competing cooperative self-assembly pathways into two supramolecular polymorphs with entirely different packing structures and UV/Vis/NIR absorption properties. The self-assembly pathway can be controlled by the cooling rate from a heated solution of the monomers. For both polymorphs, quasi-equilibrium conditions between monomers and the respective aggregates can be established to derive thermodynamic parameters and insights into the self-assembly mechanisms. AFM measurements revealed a nanosheet structure with a height of 2 nm for the thermodynamically more stable polymorph and a tubular nanorod structure with a helical pitch of 13 nm and a diameter of 5 nm for the kinetically favored polymorph. Together with wide angle X-ray scattering measurements, packing models were derived: the thermodynamic polymorph consists of brick-work type nanosheets that exhibit red-shifted absorption bands as typical for J-aggregates, while the nanorod polymorph consists of eight supramolecular polymer strands of the bis(squaraine) intertwined to form a chimney-type tubular structure. The absorption of this aggregate covers a large spectral range from 550 to 875 nm, which cannot be rationalized by the conventional exciton theory. By applying the Essential States Model and considering intermolecular charge transfer, the aggregate spectrum was adequately reproduced, revealing that the broad absorption spectrum is due to pronounced donor-acceptor overlap within the bis(squaraine) nanorods. The latter is also responsible for the pronounced bathochromic shift observed for the nanosheet structure as a result of the slip-stacked arranged squaraine chromophores.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SchembriKimLiessetal.2021,
  author    = {Schembri, Tim and Kim, Jin Hong and Liess, Andreas and Stepanenko, Vladimir and Stolte, Matthias and W{\"u}rthner, Frank},
  title     = {Semitransparent Layers of Social Self-Sorting Merocyanine Dyes for Ultranarrow Bandwidth Organic Photodiodes},
  series = {Advanced Optical Materials},
  volume    = {9},
  journal   = {Advanced Optical Materials},
  number    = {15},
  doi       = {10.1002/adom.202100213},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-244762},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Two dipolar merocyanines consisting of the same π-conjugated chromophore but different alkyl substituents adopt very different packing arrangements in their respective solid state with either H- or J-type exciton coupling, leading to ultranarrow absorption bands at 477 and 750 nm, respectively, due to exchange narrowing. The social self-sorting behavior of these push-pull chromophores in their mixed thin films is evaluated and the impact on morphology as well as opto-electronical properties is determined. The implementation of this well-tuned two-component material with tailored optical features allows to optimize planar heterojunction organic photodiodes with fullerene ​(C\(_{60}\)) with either dual or single wavelength selectivity in the blue and NIR spectral range with ultranarrow bandwidths of only 11 nm (200 cm\(^{-1}\)) and an external quantum efficiency of up to 18\% at 754 nm under 0 V bias. The application of these photodiodes as low-power consuming heart rate monitors is demonstrated by a reflectance-mode photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{WuDinkelbachKerneretal.2022,
  author    = {Wu, Zhu and Dinkelbach, Fabian and Kerner, Florian and Friedrich, Alexandra and Ji, Lei and Stepanenko, Vladimir and W{\"u}rthner, Frank and Marian, Christel M. and Marder, Todd B.},
  title     = {Aggregation-Induced Dual Phosphorescence from (o-Bromophenyl)-Bis(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)Borane at Room Temperature},
  series = {Chemistry—A European Journal},
  volume    = {28},
  journal   = {Chemistry—A European Journal},
  number    = {30},
  doi       = {10.1002/chem.202200525},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-318297},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Designing highly efficient purely organic phosphors at room temperature remains a challenge because of fast non-radiative processes and slow intersystem crossing (ISC) rates. The majority of them emit only single component phosphorescence. Herein, we have prepared 3 isomers (o, m, p-bromophenyl)-bis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)boranes. Among the 3 isomers (o-, m- and p-BrTAB) synthesized, the ortho-one is the only one which shows dual phosphorescence, with a short lifetime of 0.8 ms and a long lifetime of 234 ms in the crystalline state at room temperature. Based on theoretical calculations and crystal structure analysis of o-BrTAB, the short lifetime component is ascribed to the T\(^M_1\) state of the monomer which emits the higher energy phosphorescence. The long-lived, lower energy phosphorescence emission is attributed to the T\(^A_1\) state of an aggregate, with multiple intermolecular interactions existing in crystalline o-BrTAB inhibiting nonradiative decay and stabilizing the triplet states efficiently.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SchlossarekStepanenkoBeuerleetal.2022,
  author    = {Schlossarek, Tim and Stepanenko, Vladimir and Beuerle, Florian and W{\"u}rthner, Frank},
  title     = {Self-assembled Ru(bda) Coordination Oligomers as Efficient Catalysts for Visible Light-Driven Water Oxidation in Pure Water},
  series = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition},
  volume    = {61},
  journal   = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition},
  number    = {52},
  doi       = {10.1002/anie.202211445},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-312184},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Water-soluble multinuclear complexes based on ruthenium 2,2′-bipyridine-6,6′-dicarboxylate (bda) and ditopic bipyridine linker units are investigated in three-component visible light-driven water oxidation catalysis. Systematic studies revealed a strong enhancement of the catalytic efficiency in the absence of organic co-solvents and with increasing oligomer length. In-depth kinetic and morphological investigations suggest that the enhanced performance is induced by the self-assembly of linear Ru(bda) oligomers into aggregated superstructures. The obtained turnover frequencies (up to 14.9 s\(^{-1}\)) and turnover numbers (more than 1000) per ruthenium center are the highest reported so far for Ru(bda)-based photocatalytic water oxidation systems.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{KarakStepanenkoAddicoatetal.2022,
  author    = {Karak, Suvendu and Stepanenko, Vladimir and Addicoat, Matthew A. and Keßler, Philipp and Moser, Simon and Beuerle, Florian and W{\"u}rthner, Frank},
  title     = {A Covalent Organic Framework for Cooperative Water Oxidation},
  series = {Journal of the American Chemical Society},
  volume    = {144},
  journal   = {Journal of the American Chemical Society},
  number    = {38},
  issn      = {0002-7863},
  doi       = {10.1021/jacs.2c07282},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-287591},
  pages     = {17661-17670},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {The future of water-derived hydrogen as the "sustainable energy source" straightaway bets on the success of the sluggish oxygen-generating half-reaction. The endeavor to emulate the natural photosystem II for efficient water oxidation has been extended across the spectrum of organic and inorganic combinations. However, the achievement has so far been restricted to homogeneous catalysts rather than their pristine heterogeneous forms. The poor structural understanding and control over the mechanistic pathway often impede the overall development. Herein, we have synthesized a highly crystalline covalent organic framework (COF) for chemical and photochemical water oxidation. The interpenetrated structure assures the catalyst stability, as the catalyst's performance remains unaltered after several cycles. This COF exhibits the highest ever accomplished catalytic activity for such an organometallic crystalline solid-state material where the rate of oxygen evolution is as high as ∼26,000 μmol L\(^{-1}\) s\(^{-1}\) (second-order rate constant k ≈ 1650 μmol L s\(^{-1}\) g\(^{-2}\)). The catalyst also proves its exceptional activity (k ≈ 1600 μmol L s\(^{-1}\) g\(^{-2}\)) during light-driven water oxidation under very dilute conditions. The cooperative interaction between metal centers in the crystalline network offers 20-30-fold superior activity during chemical as well as photocatalytic water oxidation as compared to its amorphous polymeric counterpart.},
  language  = {en}
}