Copper(I)-Thiolate Coordination Polymers for In Situ Temperature Sensing in PDMS

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemistry
• Optics

Background:

• Copper-thiolate coordination polymers (CPs) exhibit photoluminescence and thermal stability, making them promising for optical temperature sensors.
• Fabricating composite films with stable red, green, and blue (RGB) emission remains a challenge due to material limitations and efficiency issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for creating homogeneous, flexible, and large-scale composite films with stable RGB emission using CPs.
• To explore the potential of these composite films for ratiometric temperature sensing applications.

Main Methods:

• Dispersing insoluble red- and green-emissive CPs homogeneously within polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrices.
• Mixing CPs with a blue-emissive organic polymer to achieve various colors, including white.
• Utilizing a dual-camera setup for ratiometric temperature sensing measurements.

Main Results:

• Fabrication of transparent, flexible, and stretchable composite films with tunable RGB emission.
• Demonstration of a broad spectrum of colors, including white, by adjusting the ratio of red, green, and blue emitters.
• Successful ratiometric temperature sensing with good spatial and temporal resolution using a composite film of red- and green-emissive CPs.

Conclusions:

• The developed process enables the creation of versatile, environmentally friendly emissive composite films.
• These films show significant potential for optical temperature sensing, offering a complementary approach to existing infrared technologies.
• The study paves the way for advanced optical sensors capable of measuring surface temperatures with high resolution.