Photophysical properties and photostability of novel unsymmetric polycyclicphenazine-type D-π-A fluorescent dyes and the dye-doped films

Structural isomers of unsymmetric polycyclicphenazine-type D-π-A fluorescent dyes have been newly synthesized and characterized in both solution and polymer films. The dyes exhibited two strong absorption bands at around 328–401 nm and 516–532 nm, and an intense fluorescence band at around 595–629 nm (Φ = 0.32–0.84) in 1,4-dioxane. The dye-doped polymer films showed good ability of wavelength conversion; the films can efficiently convert ultraviolet and green-yellow lights into red light (Φ = 0.43–0.86). Moreover, the photostability of the dyes-doped PS, PMMA, and PLA films has been investigated.

► Structural isomers of new phenazine-type fluorescent dyes have been synthesized.
► These dyes absorbed at around 328–406 nm and 516–547 nm and emitted at around 595–732 nm in solution.
► The dye-doped polymer films showed an efficient wavelength conversion function and good photostability.