Enhanced Long Persistent Luminescence by Multifold Interpenetration in Metal-Organic Frameworks

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with long persistent luminescence (LPL) have attracted widespread attention due to potential applications in displays, anticounterfeiting, and so on. However, MOFs often have large pore size, which restricts the formation of efficient inter- and intramolecular interactions to realize LPL. Herein, a new approach to achieving LPL in MOFs by multifold interpenetration of discrete frameworks is reported. By comparison between threefold- and twofold-interpenetrating MOFs, it was found that the former, which have higher multiplicity and denser frameworks, can be endowed with enhanced inter- and intramolecular interactions, and thus enhanced LPL is obtained. Meanwhile, metal-cluster and heavy-halogen effects could also cause variations in LPL duration and color.