These materials have potential applications in any technology that requires bright fluorescence or
Although there are currently over 100,000 availableof various fluorescent dyes, almost none of them can be used to create solid optical materials. Colorants tend to undergo "quenching" when they become solid. This is because when colored materials are packed close together, the fluorescence intensity decreases.
A stack of glow-in-the-dark 3D printed gyroids made from bright SMILES materials. Credit: Amar Flood
To solve the problem, scientists mixed colordye with a colorless solution of cyanostar macrocyte molecules. While previous studies have already developed a macrocycle approach to diluting dyes, colored macrocycles have been used to accomplish this work.
How 3D printed gyroids made from SMILES materials are colored white and fluoresce brightly in UV light. Credit: Amar Flood
Researchers plan to study propertiesfluorescent materials formed with this new technique, allowing them to work with dye manufacturers in the future to realize the full potential of materials in a variety of applications.
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