A tunable artificial light-harvesting system based on host-guest interaction exhibiting ultrahigh antenna effect and narrowed emission band

The development of an artificial light-harvesting system with a high antenna effect (AE) and narrow full width at half-maxima (FWHM) has drawn significant interest. Herein, we constructed a highly efficient light-harvesting platform (WP5⊃G-SR101) in a water-based pillar[5]arene-induced self-assembly. In this light-harvesting system (LHS), the guest G is aggregation-induced emission (AIE) active and serves as an energy donor; SR101 is a kind of fluorescent dye that acts as an energy acceptor. The LHS exhibits remarkable energy-transfer efficiency, ultrahigh AE, and narrowed FWHM under relatively high donor/acceptor (D/A) ratios. Moreover, the emission of this artificial LHS is color-tunable, including a desirable white-light emission when D/A = 250/1. Our study herein not only provides an intelligent supramolecular strategy to prepare LHS with various advantages mentioned above but also shows great prospects in the area of new organic luminescent materials. [Display omitted] •A light-harvesting system based on self-assembly was successfully constructed.•The system shows a high antenna effect and narrow emission band.•The material is tunable, and a bright white-light emission could be achieved.•The fabrication process of the system was totally carried out in pure water solution.