Photon upconversion crystals doped bacterial cellulose composite films as recyclable photonic bioplastics
Journal article, 2024
Biopolymers currently utilized as substitutes for synthetic polymers in photonics applications are predominantly confined to linear optical color responses. Herein we expand their applications in non-linear optics by integrating with triplet-triplet annihilation photon upconversion crystals. A photon upconverting biomaterial is prepared by cultivating Pd(II) meso-tetraphenyl tetrabenzoporphine: 9,10-diphenyl anthracene (sensitizer: annihilator) crystals on bacterial cellulose hydrogel that serves both as host and template for the crystallization of photon upconversion chromophores. Coating with gelatin improves the material’s optical transparency by adjusting the refractive indices. The prepared material shows an upconversion of 633 nm red light to 443 nm blue light, indicated by quadratic to linear dependence on excitation power density (non-linearly). Notably, components of this material are physically dis-assembled to retrieve 66 ± 1% of annihilator, at the end of life. Whereas, the residual clean biomass is subjected to biodegradation, showcasing the sustainability of the developed photonics material.
Author
Pankaj Bharmoria
Institute of Material Science of Barcelona (ICMAB)
Lukas Naimovičius
Institute of Material Science of Barcelona (ICMAB)
Vilnius University
Deyaa Abol-Fotouh
Institute of Material Science of Barcelona (ICMAB)
Advanced Technology and New Materials Research Institute
Mila Miroshnichenko
Institute of Material Science of Barcelona (ICMAB)
Justas Lekavičius
Vilnius University
Gabriele De Luca
Institute of Material Science of Barcelona (ICMAB)
Umair Saeed
Institut Catala de Nanociencia i Nanotecnologia
Karolis Kazlauskas
Vilnius University
Nicolas Candau
Polytechnic University of Catalonia
Paulius Baronas
Polytechnic University of Catalonia
A. Roig
Institute of Material Science of Barcelona (ICMAB)
Kasper Moth-Poulsen
Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies
Polytechnic University of Catalonia
Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry
Institute of Material Science of Barcelona (ICMAB)
Communications Materials
26624443 (eISSN)
Vol. 5 1 200Subject Categories
Physical Chemistry
Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics
DOI
10.1038/s43246-024-00638-6