Two fluorescent hydrogels were synthesized with chitosan
(green
carbo-backbone, Ch) and modified anthracene moieties, 10-benzyl anthracene-9-carbaldehyde
(ChAPh) and 10-((benzyloxy)methyl) anthracene-9-carbaldehyde (ChABn).
Hydrogel ChAPh shows unique exciplex emission in the THF/water system.
Here, the presence of active fluorophores in gel networks shows interesting
reciprocation of fluorescence enhancement due to self-assembly in
a remote interstitial area with variation of hydrophobic and hydrophilic
surroundings. Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) illuminates an emission
peak at λem 511 nm with appreciable intense fluorescence
to show the formation of exciplex within the ChAPh gel. Aggregations
or π–π complexations of -APh/-APh within the ChAPh
gel are forced for resettling of fluorophores in hydrophobic solvation
with increasing % of water in the THF system. Besides, hydrogel ChABn
shows no prominent appearance of emission peak at λem 525 nm. Due to the presence of flexible oxygen (−O−)
in -ABn moieties and its H-bonding with water molecules, the exciplex
formation is inhibited within the ChABn gel. Thus, hydrogel ChAPh
shows a unique exciplex emission within hydrogel networks. The unique
exciplex within ChAPh has been established using solvent-dependent
and temperature-dependent fluorescence and DLS studies. Additionally,
hydrogels ChAPh and ChABn perform successfully as bioimaging gel in
fibroblast (human adult dermal fibroblast) cells.