Photofunctional (nano)materials for optoelectronics and theranostics

Besides applications in optoelectronics, e.g. in efficient lighting and display technologies on flexible substrates, transition metal complexes and organic dyes with long-lived triplet states can be employed for the light-driven generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The phototriggered production of ROS can be used for targeted therapy, e.g. for the inactivation of neoplastic cells and bacteria. The therapeutic effect should be combined with imaging capabilities by labelling the affected areas. Ideally, a single molecular species (or nanoparticle) should be able to produce ROS, to show a defined chemotherapeutic effect and to aid the diagnosis by selectively recognizing their biological target.

Prof. C. A. Strassert and his group develop new photofunctional dyes, coordination compounds, nanomaterials and coatings for optoelectronics, photocatalysis and theranostics. In particular, nanostructured multifunctional systems are developed, which can be used in organic light-emitting diodes1 but also for the optical labelling and light-driven inactivation of tumors or antibiotic-resistant bacteria.2 The new materials are investigated regarding their photophysical properties and optoelectronic performance. Their photobiological properties as well as their use in functional microscopy and multimodal bioimaging are explored in close collaboration with the UKM, the EIMI and in the frame of the Cells in Motion Interfaculty Center.3

Photofunctional dyes, coordination compounds, transition metal complexes, nanomaterials and surface coatings for optoelectronics, photocatalysis, in biomedical imaging and as light-driven antibiotics
Photofunctional dyes, coordination compounds, transition metal complexes, nanomaterials and surface coatings for optoelectronics, photocatalysis, in biomedical imaging and as light-driven antibiotics
© Christian Strassert

Relevant preliminary work:

  1. Phosphorescent Pt(II) complexes spatially arrayed in micellar polymeric nanoparticles providing dual readout for multimodal imaging
    Proetto M T, Sanning J, Peterlechner M, Thunemann M, Stegemann L, Sadegh S, Devor A, Gianneschi N C, Strassert C A. Chemical Communications 55, 501 (2019)
  2. Toward Tunable Electroluminescent Devices by Correlating Function and Submolecular Structure in 3D Crystals, 2D-Confined Monolayers, and Dimers
    Wilde S, Ma D, Koch T, Bakker A, Gonzalez-Abradelo D, Stegemann L, Daniliuc C G, Fuchs H, Gao H, Doltsinis N L, Duan L, Strassert C A. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 10, 22460 (2018)
  3. Axially decorated SiIV-phthalocyanines bearing mannose- or ammonium-conjugated siloxanes: Comparative bacterial labelling and photodynamic inactivation
    Grüner M, Niemann S, Faust A, Strassert C A. Photochemistry and Photobiology 94, 890 (2018)