Circularly polarized light emission from encapsulated aggregation-induced emission achiral luminogen within the supramolecular helical nanofilament networks

Circularly polarized light emission (CPLE) materials have attracted considerable attention owing to their broad range of potential applications, including spintronics. In this study, we introduce an innovative approach to impart CPLE activity to achiral aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) by leveraging the nanoscale spontaneous phase separation between rod-like AIEgens and helical filaments formed by bent-core molecules. This phase separation was confirmed by transmittance analysis, X-ray diffraction, and other techniques as supported by transmission electron microscopy. Intrinsically, CPLE-inactive AIEgens aggregate in nanosized spaces, isolated from the helical filament network, and become CPLE-active via chirality transfer from the helical filaments. Thus, CPLE emission was achieved from the AIEgens encapsulated within the supramolecular helical nanofilament networks. The CPLE properties were significantly influenced by the size of the nanospace occupied by the AIEgens between the helical filament networks, as evaluated using scanning electron microscopy. This nanospace created a chiral environment, allowing the chirality of the helical filaments to transfer to the AIEgens during aggregation, rendering them CPLE-active. This study presents a universal strategy for fabricating CPLE materials without the need for complex chemical synthesis or the molecular design of luminogens.