Abstract
It is common knowledge that chromophore aggregation usually quenches light emission. The concept of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) changes this general belief and provides a new stage for the exploration of practical luminescent materials. The weak emission of AIE fluorogens (AIEgens) as molecular species and their bright fluorescence as nanoscopic aggregates distinguishes them from conventional organic luminophores and inorganic nanoparticles, making them ideal candidates for high-tech applications. This article summarizes the impact of AIEgens in biomedical applications.
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Acknowledgements
The Singapore NRF Competitive Research Program (R279-000-483-281), NRF Investigatorship (R279-000-444-281), and the National University of Singapore (R279-000-482-133) are gratefully acknowledged for their financial support.
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The following article is based on a Symposium X (Frontiers of Materials Research) presentation given at the 2016 MRS Fall Meeting in Boston, Mass.
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Liu, B. Aggregation-induced emission: Materials and biomedical applications. MRS Bulletin 42, 458–463 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs.2017.93
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs.2017.93