weak or no luminescence in the solution, but in the aggregation state or solid state, their fluorescence increases significantly because the intramolecular vibrational motion annihilates the excitons in the solution state. While in the aggregation state, the distorted molecular configuration results in abundant intermolecular interaction, which limits the vibrational motion within the molecules, so that the molecules can effectively luminesce. On the other hand, the specific molecular packing also plays important roles in achieving enhanced fluorescence emission for these AIE molecules in the aggregation state. Due to the excellent luminescent properties of these AIE materials in aggregate or solid state, they have exhibited wide application prospects in the fields of response luminescence upon external stimulus, high solid luminescence organic materials, fluorescent bioimaging, fluorescent probes for chemical and biological sensing, and so on. The research on DSA and its derivatives enriches the AIE material system, broadens the application fields of AIE materials, and deepens the understanding of the mechanism of AIE luminescence. In the future work, we will combine the luminescent properties of AIEgens and self‐assembly together to develop self‐assembly‐based novel supramolecular luminescent systems with high efficiency. Through designing and synthesizing new AIE molecules and developing the novel methods and techniques of supramolecular assembly, we can realize the highly efficient luminescent ordered assembly with different size and morphology and investigate the relationship between the material structure and the luminescent properties, revealing the intrinsic photophysical mechanism of the ordered assembly. Subsequently, we will explore the applications of the supramolecular luminescent system based on AIEgens and self‐assembly in chemistry, material electronics, life science, and other important fields. These investigations will definitely provide a theoretical basis and practical evidence for the design and synthesis of new efficient luminescent materials and lay the foundations for expanding the function and application of AIE materials.
Acknowledgments
This and related work were supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (21835001 and 51773080), the Program for Changbaishan Scholars of Jilin Province, and the “Talents Cultivation Program” of Jilin University.
References
1 1 Jenekhe, S.A. and Chen, X.L. (1999). Self‐assembly of ordered microporous materials from rod‐coil block copolymers. Science 283 (5400): 372–375.
2 2 Friend, R.H., Gymer, R.W., Holmes, A.B. et al. (1999). Electroluminescence in conjugated polymers. Nature 397 (6715): 121–128.
3 3 Birks, J.B. (1970). Photophysics of aromatic molecules. Wiley monographs in chemical physics. London, New York: Wiley‐Interscience. xiii, 704 p.
4 4 Ma, S.Q., Ma, L., Han, W.K., Jiang, S., Xu, B., Tian, W.J. (2018). Progress in 9,10‐distyrylanthracene derivatives with aggregation‐induced emission. Scientia Sinica Chimica 48: 683–697.
5 5 Uoyama, H., Goushi, K., Shizu, K. et al. (2012). Highly efficient organic light‐emitting diodes from delayed fluorescence. Nature 492 (7428): 234–238.
6 6 Yang Z.Y., Mao, Z., Xie, Z.L. et al. (2017). Recent advances in organic thermally activated delayed fluorescence materials. Chemical Society Reviews 46 (3): 915–1016.
7 7 Sirringhaus, H. (2014). 25th anniversary article: Organic field‐effect transistors: The path beyond amorphous silicon. Advanced Materials 26 (9): 1319–1335.
8 8 Wang, C.L., Dong, H.L., Hu, W.P. et al. (2012). Semiconducting pi‐conjugated systems in field‐effect transistors: A material odyssey of organic electronics. Chemical Reviews 112 (4): 2208–2267.
9 9 Zhelev, Z., Ohba, H., and Bakalova, R. (2006). Single quantum dot‐micelles coated with silica shell as potentially non‐cytotoxic fluorescent cell tracers. Journal of the American Chemical Society 128 (19): 6324–6325.
10 10 Bakalova, R., Zhelev, Z., Aoki, I. et al. (2006). Silica‐shelled single quantum dot micelles as imaging probes with dual or multimodality. Analytical Chemistry 78 (16): 5925–5932.
11 11 Wang, M., Zhang, G.X., Zhang, D.Q. et al. (2010). Fluorescent bio/chemosensors based on silole and tetraphenylethene luminogens with aggregation‐induced emission feature. Journal of Materials Chemistry 20 (10): 1858–1867.
12 12 Ding, D., Li, K., Liu, B. et al. (2013). Bioprobes based on AIE fluorogens. Accounts of Chemical Research 46 (11): 2441–2453.
13 13 Luo, J.D., Xie, Z.L., Lam, J.W.Y. et al. (2001). Aggregation‐induced emission of 1‐methyl‐1,2,3,4,5‐pentaphenylsilole. Chemical Communications ( 18): 1740–1741.
14 14 Hong, Y.N., Lam, J.W.Y., and Tang, B.Z. (2011). Aggregation‐induced emission. Chemical Society Reviews 40 (11): 5361–5388.
15 15 Yousefi, N., Sun, X.Y., Lin, X.Y. et al. (2014). Highly aligned graphene/polymer nanocomposites with excellent dielectric properties for high‐performance electromagnetic interference shielding. Advanced Materials 26 (31): 5480–5487.
16 16 Mei, J., Leung, N.L.C., Kwok, R.T.K. et al. (2015). Aggregation‐induced emission: Together we shine, united we soar! Chemical Reviews 115 (21): 11718–11940.
17 17 He, J.T., Xu, B., Chen, F.P. et al. (2009). Aggregation‐induced emission in the crystals of 9,10‐distyrylanthracene derivatives: The essential role of restricted intramolecular torsion. Journal of Physical Chemistry C 113 (22): 9892–9899.
18 18 Xu, B., Fang, H.H., Dong, Y.J. et al. (2010). Solid state emission enhancement of 9,10‐distyrylanthracene derivatives and amplified spontaneous emission from a large single crystal. New Journal of Chemistry 34 (9): 1838–1842.
19 19 Xu, B., He, J.T., Dong, Y.J. et al. (2011). Aggregation emission properties and self‐assembly of conjugated oligocarbazoles. Chemical Communications 47 (23): 6602–6604.
20 20 Wang, Z.L., Xu, B., Zhang, L. et al. (2013). Folic acid‐functionalized mesoporous silica nanospheres hybridized with AIE luminogens for targeted cancer cell imaging. Nanoscale 5 (5): 2065–2072.
21 21 Li, X., Xu, B., Lu, H.G. et al. (2013). Label‐free fluorescence turn‐on detection of Pb2+ based on AIE‐active quaternary ammonium salt of 9,10‐distyrylanthracene. Analytical Methods 5 (2): 438–441.
22 22 Dong, Y.J., Xu, B., Zhang, J.B. et al. (2012). Piezochromic luminescence based on the molecular aggregation of 9,10‐bis((E)‐2‐(pyrid‐2‐yl)vinyl)anthracene. Angewandte Chemie‐International Edition 51 (43): 10782–10785.
23 23 Lu, H.G., Su, F.Y., Mei, Q. et al. (2012). A series of poly[N‐(2‐hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide] copolymers with anthracene‐derived fluorophores showing aggregation‐induced emission properties for bioimaging. Journal of Polymer Science Part A‐Polymer Chemistry 50 (5): 890–899.
24 24 Xu, B., Zhang, J.B., Ma, S.Q. et al. (2013). 9,10‐Distyrylanthracene derivatives: Aggregation induced emission, mechanism and their applications. Progress in Chemistry 25 (7): 1079–1089.
25 25 Zhao, J., Chi, Z.H., Yang, Z.Y. et al. (2018). Recent progress in the mechanofluorochromism of distyrylanthracene derivatives with aggregation‐induced emission. Materials Chemistry Frontiers 2 (9): 1595–1608.
26 26 Xue, S.F., Qiu, X., Sun, Q.K. et al. (2016). Alkyl length effects on solid‐state fluorescence and mechanochromic behavior of small organic luminophores. Journal of Materials Chemistry C 4 (8): 1568–1578.
27 27 Dong, Y.J., Zhang, J.B., Tan, X. et al. (2013). Multi‐stimuli responsive fluorescence switching: The reversible piezochromism and protonation effect of a divinylanthracene derivative. Journal of Materials Chemistry C 1 (45): 7554–7559.
28 28 Zhang, X.Q., Chi, Z.G., Xu, B.J. et al. (2012). End‐group effects of piezofluorochromic aggregation‐induced enhanced emission compounds containing distyrylanthracene. Journal of Materials Chemistry 22 (35): 18505–18513.
29 29 Zhang, X.Q., Chi, Z.G., Zhou, X. et al. (2012). Influence of carbazolyl groups on properties of piezofluorochromic aggregation‐enhanced emission compounds containing distyrylanthracene.