Aggregation‐Induced Upconversion Luminescence of Ultra‐High‐Brightness Lanthanide Organic Cages X‐ray Scintillators

W Wen‐Kang Jiang (Key Laboratory for Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources (Ministry of Education of China), Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Guangxi Normal University Guilin P. R. China) W Wen‐Wen Qin (Key Laboratory for Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources (Ministry of Education of China), Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Guangxi Normal University Guilin P. R. China) R Ru‐Yan Li (School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangxi Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Materials Guangxi University Nanning P. R. China) H Hai‐Ling Wang (Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, IGCME, GBRCE For Functional Molecular, Engineering Sun Yat‐Sen University Guangzhou China) Y Yun‐Lan Li (Key Laboratory for Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources (Ministry of Education of China), Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Guangxi Normal University Guilin P. R. China) H Hua‐Hong Zou (Key Laboratory for Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources (Ministry of Education of China), Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Guangxi Normal University Guilin P. R. China) F Fu‐Pei Liang (Key Laboratory for Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources (Ministry of Education of China), Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Guangxi Normal University Guilin P. R. China) D De‐Xin Chen (School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangxi Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Materials Guangxi University Nanning P. R. China) Z Zhong‐Hong Zhu (School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangxi Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Materials Guangxi University Nanning P. R. China)

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this work, aggregation‐induced emission luminogen (AIEgen) were used as ligand to achieve the first aggregation‐enhanced ligand triplet‐mediated cooperative sensitized upconversion luminescence (UCL), which greatly enhanced the UCL of a series of lanthanide organic cages in non‐deuterated solvent systems and aqueous solutions. The UCL intensities of the Yb 2 Eu 2 (L) 4 (Phen) 4 and Yb 2 Eu 2 (L) 4 ( S ‐BI) 4 increased by up to 3.6 and 14.3 times, respectively, compared with those of the molecular states, and their quantum yields increased by up to 3.8 and 19.2 times, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first time that molecular UCL of lanthanide organic cages with precise structures in aqueous solutions has been achieved. The aggregation‐enhanced antenna effect of AIEgen in aqueous solution significantly enhances the luminescence of lanthanide organic cages and promotes their specific targeting to lipid droplets optical imaging. The synergistic effect of coordination‐induced emission and antenna effect, the Eu 4 (L) 4 ( S ‐BI) 4 scintillator exhibits a high light yield of up to 20241 photo/MeV, an ultra‐low detection limit of 27.2 nGy/s, which is 202 times lower than the clinical standard (5.5 µGy/s), and a radiation stability cycle of 96.8%, achieving low‐dose X‐ray imaging. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the lanthanide organic cage has been extended to targeted imaging of lipid droplets and X‐ray scintillator imaging, opening a new era for the application of lanthanide complex emitters in high‐resolution imaging.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 65, Issue 11
Published March 09, 2026
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (9)

W

Wen‐Kang Jiang

Key Laboratory for Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources (Ministry of Education of China), Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Guangxi Normal University Guilin P. R. China

W

Wen‐Wen Qin

Key Laboratory for Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources (Ministry of Education of China), Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Guangxi Normal University Guilin P. R. China

R

Ru‐Yan Li

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangxi Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Materials Guangxi University Nanning P. R. China

H

Hai‐Ling Wang

Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, IGCME, GBRCE For Functional Molecular, Engineering Sun Yat‐Sen University Guangzhou China

Y

Yun‐Lan Li

Key Laboratory for Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources (Ministry of Education of China), Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Guangxi Normal University Guilin P. R. China

H

Hua‐Hong Zou

Key Laboratory for Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources (Ministry of Education of China), Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Guangxi Normal University Guilin P. R. China

F

Fu‐Pei Liang

Key Laboratory for Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources (Ministry of Education of China), Guangxi Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Guangxi Normal University Guilin P. R. China

D

De‐Xin Chen

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangxi Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Materials Guangxi University Nanning P. R. China

Z

Zhong‐Hong Zhu

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangxi Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Materials Guangxi University Nanning P. R. China