Tuning the Forster Resonance Energy Transfer through a Self-Assembly Approach for Efficient White-Light Emission in an Aqueous Medium

A simple and cost-effective methodology employing environmentally benign substances for the fabrication of white-light emitting materials is important for practical applications in the field of lighting and display devices. Designing purely organic-based white-light-emitting systems with high quantum efficiency in aqueous media is an unmet challenge. With this objective, a new class of pyridoindole-based hydrophobic fluorophore 6,7,8,9-tetrapropylpyrido[1,2-a]indole-10-carbaldehye (TPIC) was introduced. A strategy of self-assembly using nonionic surfactants was employed to enhance the fluorescence of TPIC in an aqueous medium and was exploited as energy donor. The steady-state and time-resolved emission spectra analysis revealed the micelle-mediated energy transfer from TPIC to Nile red (energy acceptor) leading to tunable fluorescence along with white-light emission. The white-light emitting aqueous solution was obtained with the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity coordinates of (0.33, 0.36) and significantly high quantum yield of 37%. Solid-state white-light emission was achieved retaining the assembly of fluorophores in the form of a gel having the high quantum efficiency of 33% with CIE coordinates of (0.32, 0.36); close to that of pure white light. The bright white luminescence of the inscription prepared using white-light emitting gel on a solid substrate offers promising applications for full-color flat panel displays.