Recent advances in dopant–matrix afterglow systems: high-performance organic afterglow materials and the critical role of organic matrices in materials fabrication

Organic afterglow materials have garnered significant attention due to their long-lived excited states, demonstrating promising applications across diverse fields. Over the past few decades, these materials have experienced rapid development, particularly dopant-matrix systems. This review focuses on the progress made in dopant-matrix organic afterglow materials over the past three years, emphasizing two key aspects: high-performance organic afterglow materials and the critical role of organic matrices in materials fabrication. In the first section, we summarize strategies for enhancing afterglow performance through molecular design, focusing on representative luminescent systems such as benzophenone derivatives, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and difluoroboron β-diketonate compounds. The second section explores the pivotal functions of organic matrices, including protecting triplet excited states, facilitating intersystem crossing, sensitizing triplet states, and promoting charge separation, which collectively contribute to novel functionalities of afterglow materials. Beyond the molecular design of luminophores, the selection of organic matrices is equally crucial for achieving high-performance afterglow materials and expanding their functionality. This review provides a comprehensive compilation of chemical structures for various organic matrices, serving as a valuable reference for researchers. Given the intricate photophysical processes in organic afterglow systems, we also present experimental methods that support or refute specific mechanisms, providing critical insights for future studies. Overall, dopant-matrix organic afterglow materials represent a highly promising class of luminescent materials. We anticipate their large-scale adoption and high-value applications in real-world scenarios in the near future.