Upconversion-induced delayed fluorescence in multicomponent organic systems: Role of Dexter energy transfer

The efficiency of the upconversion-induced delayed fluorescence in a solution of multicomponent organic systems is limited by two steps of the overall process: (i) a triplet-triplet energy transfer between a phosphorescent donor and an emitting acceptor, and (ii) a bimolecular acceptor triplet-triplet annihilation generating acceptor singlet excited states from which the high-energy emission takes place. In this work, the energy transfer process has been investigated in a model system constituted by solutions of Pt(II)octaethylporphyrin, which acts as a donor, and 9,10 diphenylanthracene, which acts as an acceptor. At low temperature, the experimental data have been interpreted in the frame of a pure Dexter energy transfer by using the Perrin approximation. A Dexter radius as large as 26.5 Å has been found. At room temperature, the fast diffusion of the molecules in the solution is no longer negligible, which gives rise to a strong increase in the energy transfer rates.