Fluorescent Materials for the Enhancement of the Photosynthetic Efficiency

Food security and sustainable agriculture is a significant and current challenge to society in the face of growing global consumption.[1] In this regard boosting crop yields by enhancing the efficiency of the photosynthetic process to meet the rising demand of the market has been highlighted as a preferred and greener solution.[2] Sunlight is undoubtedly an unlimited, free, and sustainable energy source; however, plants can only absorb light within specific regions of the solar spectrum, within 430-480 nm and 630-680 nm. Only the absorbed light is essential for photosynthesis, which means that a considerable portion of sunlight cannot be assimilated and transformed into chemical energy. Here we present the preparation of innovative luminophores as light conversion agents,[3] able to enhance plants light uptake by absorption of unproductive wavelengths and re-emission within the absorption region of chlorophyll-based photosynthetic systems. The dyes feature a donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) structure, and are characterized by a modular and efficient synthesis that allows for easy tuning of their absorption and emission profiles. The intense light-harvesting ability and emissions in the deep-red and NIR region, as well as the aggregation induced emission (AIE) properties, that enhance their emissive ability in the aggregate state, make them attractive materials for the development of luminescent devices with potential application in plant growing.