Recent advances in multicolor inorganic persistent luminescent materials: mechanisms, properties, and applications

Persistent luminescent materials (PersLMs) have garnered significant attention in academic research and industry due to their unique eco-friendly "light absorption-storage-delayed emission" properties. In recent years, multicolor PersLMs have expanded their applications from traditional weak-light illumination to emerging fields by covering the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared regions. This review, based on our laboratory's research and other literature, focuses on the latest advancements in multicolor PersLMs. First, the afterglow mechanisms and existing controversies are discussed, then we summarize application-oriented performance evaluation criteria and multiscale regulation strategies from the macro- to the micro-perspectives. After systematically classifying recent novel PersLMs, we further elaborate on the rational design principles of multicolor PersLMs by elucidating the interplay among crystal structure, electronic structure, and defect chemistry for enhancing efficiency and optimizing color conversion, outlining their value in the fields of information, security, sensing, and biomedicine. Finally, the core challenges of multicolor PersLMs are proposed. Through this comprehensive and in-depth review, we are committed to providing valuable and insightful scientific perspectives to scholars and experts engaged in PersLMs and their diverse applications of light-storage and light-conversion. We are confident that this work can inspire and broaden new research frontiers in this rapidly evolving field.