ORCID Profile
0000-0001-9312-6582
Current Organisation
Hefei University of Technology
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Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2021
DOI: 10.1039/D1MH00149C
Abstract: A dual-AIEgen system for microbial imaging and metabolic status sensing has been realized through chemistry strategies. This dual-AIEgen system can detect general microbes and identify their viabilities as well as their microbial biofilms.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-05-2021
Abstract: Development of simple and efficient red emissive luminogens is desirable yet challenging for optoelectronic devices due to the limited molecular design and the difficulties of synthesis. Red emitting molecules possess large π‐conjugated systems, which permit quenching in the solid state due to π–π stacking and are detrimental to the performance of devices. Furthermore, traditional red emitters usually exhibit emission far from pure red in the standard red, green, and blue (sRGB) gamut. Herein, two red luminogens, DCMa and DCIs, with aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) characteristics based on simple donor–acceptor (D–A) structures are explored. They show high fluorescence quantum yields (QYs) of 13.2% and 7.8% in the film state. Efficient nondoped solution‐processed organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) with a configuration of indium tin oxide (ITO) oly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) oly[(9,9‐dioctylfluorenyl‐2,7‐diyl)‐ co ‐(4,40‐( N ‐(4‐sec‐butylphenyl)diphenylamine)] (TFB)/DCMa or DCIs/(1,3,5‐tris(2‐ N ‐phenylbenzimidazolyl)benzene) (TPBi)/LiF/Al are fabricated, which emit red electroluminescence at 652 and 711 nm, respectively. Furthermore, they exhibit International Commission on Illumination (CIE) coordinates of (0.63, 0.36) and (0.64, 0.35), respectively, which are close to the value of the primary red color (0.63, 0.34) according to the digital television standard. These results of small molecules DCMa and DCIs suggest future methods for designing new red emitters for nondoped solution‐processed OLEDs.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 19-04-2023
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 03-08-2018
Abstract: Far-red and near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent materials possessing the characteristics of strong two-photon absorption and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) as well as specific targeting capability are much-sought-after for bioimaging and therapeutic applications due to their deep penetration depth and high resolution. Herein, a series of dipolar far-red and NIR AIE luminogens with a strong push-pull effect are designed and synthesized. The obtained fluorophores display bright far-red and NIR solid-state fluorescence with a high quantum yield of up to 30%, large Stokes shifts of up to 244 nm, and large two-photon absorption cross-sections of up to 887 GM. A total of three neutral AIEgens show specific lipid droplet (LD)-targeting capability, while the one with cationic and lipophilic characteristics tends to target the mitochondria specifically. All of the molecules demonstrate good biocompatibility, high brightness, and superior photostability. They also serve as efficient two-photon fluorescence-imaging agents for the clear visualization of LDs or mitochondria in living cells and tissues with deep tissue penetration (up to 150 μm) and high contrast. These AIEgens can efficiently generate singlet oxygen upon light irradiation for the photodynamic ablation of cancer cells. All of these intriguing results prove that these far-red and NIR AIEgens are excellent candidates for the two-photon fluorescence imaging of LDs or mitochondria and organelle-targeting photodynamic cancer therapy.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-05-2023
Abstract: The polarity of lipid droplets (LDs) plays an important role in pathological processes associated with abnormal lipid metabolism. Monitoring the variation of LDs polarity in cells and tissues is of great importance in biomedical research and clinical diagnosis. However, developing fluorescent LDs‐specific probes with high polarity sensitivity, brightness, and permeability for deep tissue imaging is still challenging. Herein, a push–pull fluorescent luminogen (DPBT) with aggregation‐induced emission, strong solvatochromism, large Stokes shift, high solid‐state fluorescence efficiency and superior two‐photon absorption is facilely developed. The lipophilic DPBT can specifically stain LDs with high biocompatibility and good photostability. The viscosity‐enhanced solvatochromic emission property enables DPBT to visualize LDs polarity with high brightness and imaging contrast, and deep penetration depth under two‐photon microscopy. DPBT can specifically stain lipids in various mouse tissues (atherosclerotic plaque, liver, and mesenteric adipose tissues) and map their polarity distribution to reflect lipid metabolic states within those tissues. It is found that the lipids deposition as well as their polarity distribution in tissues of hyperlipoidemia mouse are clearly different from the tissues of the normal mouse. Its excellent properties make DPBT a promising candidate for investigating LDs‐associated physiological and pathological processes in live biological s les.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-01-2022
Abstract: Phototheranostic agents have thrived as promising tools for cancer theranostics because of the integration of sensitive in situ fluorescence imaging and effective multi‐model synergistic therapy. However, how to manipulate the intangible photon energy transfer to balance the competitive radiative and nonradiative processes is still challenging. Although numerous phototheranostic molecules are reported, their complicated molecular design and tedious synthesis often stumble further their development. Herein, three simple molecules with electron donating−accepting structures are developed. The electron acceptor engineering on molecules by introducing acridinium unit gives rise to TPEDCAc with aggregation‐induced second near‐infrared emission (AIE NIR‐II), high reactive oxygen species generation capability, and excellent photothermal conversion efficiency (44.8%) due to the drastic intramolecular motion of large acridinium rotor and balanced AIE effect. Experimental analysis and calculation on the controlled molecules suggested that large torsional angle and the strong electron‐withdrawing ability of the acridinium unit are keys for NIR‐II emission and balanced photodynamic hotothermal conversion. Impressively, the positively charged TPEDCAc shows mitochondria‐targeting capability and high performance in in vivo multi‐modal cancer theranostics under NIR laser irradiation. Hence, this work not only provides a single NIR‐II AIE‐based multi‐modal cancer theranostic system but inspires new insights into future development of new theranostic platforms.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 24-07-2023
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 11-05-2022
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 28-03-2019
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.9B00636
Abstract: Although photodynamic therapy (PDT) has thrived as a promising treatment, highly active photosensitizers (PSs) and intense light power can cause treatment overdose. However, extra therapeutic response probes make the monitoring process complicated, ex situ and delayed. Now, this challenge is addressed by a self-reporting cationic PS, named TPE-4EP+, with aggregation-induced emission characteristic. The molecule undergoes mitochondria-to-nucleus translocation during apoptosis induced by PDT, thus enabling the in situ real-time monitoring via fluorescence migration. Moreover, by molecular charge engineering, we prove that the in situ translocation of TPE-4EP+ is mainly attributed to the enhanced interaction with DNA imposed by its multivalent positive charge. The ability of PS to provide PDT with real-time diagnosis help control the treatment dose that can avoid excessive phototoxicity and minimize potential side effect. Future development of new generation of PS is envisioned.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-06-2020
Abstract: The development of novel photosensitizing agents with aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) properties has fueled significant advances in the field of photodynamic therapy (PDT). An electroporation method was used to prepare tumor‐exocytosed exosome/AIE luminogen (AIEgen) hybrid nanovesicles (DES) that could facilitate efficient tumor penetration. Dexamethasone was then used to normalize vascular function within the tumor microenvironment (TME) to reduce local hypoxia, thereby significantly enhancing the PDT efficacy of DES nanovesicles, and allowing them to effectively inhibit tumor growth. The hybridization of AIEgen and biological tumor‐exocytosed exosomes was achieved for the first time, and combined with PDT approaches by normalizing the intratumoral vasculature as a means of reducing local tissue hypoxia. This work highlights a new approach to the design of AIEgen‐based PDT systems and underscores the potential clinical value of AIEgens.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-07-2020
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 31-03-2022
Abstract: Three-photon fluorescence microscopic (3PFM) bioimaging is a promising imaging technique for visualizing the brain in its native environment thanks to its advantages of high spatial resolution and large imaging depth. However, developing fluorophores with strong three-photon absorption (3PA) and bright emission that meets the requirements for efficient three-photon fluorescence microscopic (3PFM) bioimaging is still challenging. Herein, four bright fluorophores with aggregation-induced emission features are facilely synthesized, and their powders exhibit high quantum yields of up to 56.4%. The intramolecular engineering of luminogens endows ( E )-2-(benzo[ d ]thiazol-2-yl)-3-(7-(diphenylamino)-9-ethyl-9 H -carbazol-2-yl)acrylonitrile (DCBT) molecules with bright near-infrared emission and large 3PA cross sections of up to 1.57 × 10 -78 cm 6 s 2 photon -2 at 1550 nm, which is boosted by 3.6-fold to 5.61 × 10 -78 cm 6 s 2 photon -2 in DCBT dots benefiting from the extensive intermolecular interactions in molecular stacking. DCBT dots are successfully applied for 3PFM imaging of brain vasculature on mice with a removed or intact skull, providing images with high spatial resolution, and even small capillaries can be recognized below the skull. This study will inspire more insights for developing advanced multiphoton absorbing materials for biomedical applications.
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2020
DOI: 10.1039/C9SC06441A
Abstract: Mitochondria-targeted photosensitizers with highly efficient singlet oxygen generation, bright near-infrared AIE and good two-photon absorption are obtained through ingenious molecular engineering for cancer cell-selective photodynamic therapy.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-02-2021
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-09-2019
Abstract: Nonlinear optical microscopy has become a powerful tool in bioimaging research due to its unique capabilities of deep optical sectioning, high-spatial-resolution imaging, and 3D reconstruction of biological specimens. Developing organic fluorescent probes with strong nonlinear optical effects, in particular third-harmonic generation (THG), is promising for exploiting nonlinear microscopic imaging for biomedical applications. Herein, a simple method for preparing organic nanocrystals based on an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogen (DCCN) with bright near-infrared emission is successfully demonstrated. Aggregation-induced nonlinear optical effects, including two-photon fluorescence (2PF), three-photon fluorescence (3PF), and THG, of DCCN are observed in nanoparticles, especially for crystalline nanoparticles. The nanocrystals of DCCN are successfully applied for 2PF microscopy at 1040 nm NIR-II excitation and THG microscopy at 1560 nm NIR-II excitation, respectively, to reconstruct the 3D vasculature of the mouse cerebral vasculature. Impressively, the THG microscopy provides much higher spatial resolution and brightness than the 2PF microscopy and can visualize small vessels with diameters of ≈2.7 µm at the deepest depth of 800 µm in a mouse brain. Thus, this is expected to inspire new insights into the development of advanced AIE materials with multiple nonlinearity, in particular THG, for multimodal nonlinear optical microscopy.
No related grants have been discovered for Zheng Zheng.