# Giant Isotope Effect in Metal–Organic Frameworks Boosts Unprecedented Photo‐ and Radio‐Luminescence Enhancement

## TL;DR

This paper shows that deuterated metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can significantly boost luminescence and X-ray detection performance through a giant isotope effect.

## Contribution

The study introduces a general in situ deuteration strategy for MOFs, achieving the highest reported solid-state isotope effect in luminescence enhancement.

## Key findings

- Deuterated MOF EuBTC-D shows a 4.15-fold longer luminescence lifetime and 3.49-fold higher quantum yield.
- Deuteration suppresses non-radiative decay by freezing thermal motions in the water-rich framework.
- The isotope effect extends to radioluminescence, improving X-ray detection sensitivity and imaging resolution.

## Abstract

Isotope effect (IE) has emerged as a powerful strategy for tailoring the photophysical properties of luminescent systems, yet its application in solid materials remains limited. Herein, we presented a simple and general in situ deuteration strategy to synthesize a series of deuterated metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with enhanced emission performance. One resulting MOF (EuBTC‐D) exhibits an IE‐triggered comprehensive luminescence enhancement (4.15‐fold longer lifetime and 3.49‐fold higher quantum yield) that surpasses all reported solid‐state deuterated materials. The giant isotope effect is attributed to the drastic suppression of non‐radiative decay in EuBTC‐D, where deuteration effectively freezes the molecule thermal motions of the water‐rich framework and stabilizes the long‐lived triplet excitons. Furthermore, the scope of IE is further extended to radioluminescence, yielding upgraded X‐ray detection sensitivity and imaging resolution. This work establishes isotopic engineering as a versatile and powerful Isotope effect, Metal–organic framework, Photoluminescence, Radioluminescencetool for developing advanced luminescent MOFs and scintillating materials.

Deuterated MOFs in this work exhibited unprecedented giant luminescence isotope effect via O─H oscillator suppression, achieving maximal solid‐state materials emission enhancement. This yields significantly improved X‐ray detection sensitivity and imaging resolution, marking the first integration of MOFs with isotopic luminescence and opening new avenues for radiation detection and X‐ray imaging diagnosis.