Self-assembly of organic luminophores with gelation-enhanced emission characteristics

Fluorescent self-assembled organogels are interesting supramolecular soft materials with polymer-like structures and have received particular attention due to their fascinating properties and promising practical applications. However, most planar pi-conjugated gelators are highly emissive in the solution state but become weak emitters when self-assembled. Recently, a novel phenomenon of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) has drawn increasing research interest and has been the subject of numerous investigations. This intriguing finding paves a new way for creating fluorescent organogels by utilizing gelators with AIE characteristics. This review focuses on the recent advances in fluorescent organogels with gelation-enhanced emission features. Various kinds of low molecular weight gelators consisting of typical AIE luminogens, conventional planar chromophores, and photoactive molecules are introduced and the mechanisms for the emission enhancement are discussed.