# Engineering phosphorescence and pH-responsive fluorescence of luminophores

- Published: 2026-11-06 22:28 UTC
- Section: Machines & Making › Materials science
- Tags: phosphorescence, pH-responsive, biodegradable materials, luminophores, RTP
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-06b395f7c80f8efc15700764_engineering_phosphorescence_and/

**Researchers develop a new design paradigm for integrating phosphorescence with pH responsiveness in biodegradable materials.**

![Engineering phosphorescence and pH-responsive fluorescence of luminophores](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/6bc0c7d4ae1be6b9.jpg)
*Radiotrefoil, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0*

Researchers from Westlake University have introduced a novel design paradigm for engineering organic ultralong room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) that integrates pH responsiveness. This advancement, published in *Nature Communications*, addresses the challenge of coupling RTP with biochemical responsiveness at both molecular and material levels. The team developed an aromatic ketone linked to a pH-responsive α-methyleneketone within a carbonyl-rich framework, resulting in a family of luminophores that combine pH responsiveness with long-lived triplet emission.

## Design Paradigm

The new design, termed ArKMK, yields homophthalic anhydride (HA) and homophthalimides as effective luminophores. To maintain long-lived emission within elastomeric matrices, the researchers implemented a two-pots-in-one (TPiO) strategy. This method allows for the separate preformation of hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments, which are then co-reacted to create phase-separated microenvironments in biodegradable polyesters. The resulting materials successfully reconcile mechanical compliance with triplet-state stabilization while covalently integrating ArKMK luminophores through esterification chemistry.

## Applications

These biodegradable polyesters facilitate time-gated subcutaneous imaging, gastrointestinal tracking, and wound-status reporting by leveraging the combined properties of RTP and pH-indicating fluorescence. This work establishes a comprehensive framework for integrating pH responsiveness with long-lived triplet emission in soft, biodegradable materials, paving the way for innovative applications in biomedical fields.

## Sources

1. [Nature Communications](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-79278-y)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-06b395f7c80f8efc15700764_engineering_phosphorescence_and/