Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 17, 2026
06:55
Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level
Published on: September 26, 2016
8.4K
24-Hour-Long Afterglow from Single Polymer Chains Through Engineering-Compatible One-Pot Polycondensation Approach
Mingyang Liu1, Jiaju Shi1, Yusheng Zhou1
1PCFM Lab, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|September 25, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed novel polymer chains exhibiting long-lasting afterglow (HLA) for over 24 hours. These materials, activated by sunlight, offer extended emission durations, even up to 10 days at low temperatures.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Photophysics
Background:
- Long-lasting afterglow (HLA) materials are crucial for advanced optical applications.
- Existing afterglow polymers often suffer from short emission durations and limited processability.
- Developing stable, long-duration afterglow materials under ambient conditions remains a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize novel polymer chains with unprecedented long-lasting afterglow (HLA) emission.
- To investigate the mechanisms responsible for the extended afterglow properties.
- To evaluate the potential of these polymers for practical engineering applications.
Main Methods:
- One-pot polycondensation reaction for polymer synthesis.
- Characterization of photoluminescence and afterglow properties under ambient and low-temperature conditions.
- Assessment of charge separation and recombination mechanisms.
- Evaluation of material processability using conventional polymer techniques.
Main Results:
- Observation of 24-hour-long afterglow (HLA) emission from single polymer chains.
- Polymers exhibit afterglow exceeding 24 hours under ambient conditions via charge separation and recombination.
- Sustained green afterglow for over 6 hours at room temperature after sunlight activation.
- Afterglow duration extended to 10 days at -18 °C, establishing a new record for polymeric materials.
- Excellent processability into films and fibers using conventional techniques.
Conclusions:
- Novel polymers demonstrate exceptionally long-lasting afterglow (HLA) properties, exceeding 24 hours.
- The charge separation and recombination mechanisms enable sustained luminescence under ambient conditions.
- These materials show great promise for applications in flexible displays and wearable electronics due to their processability and long emission times.
- The temperature-dependent nature of the afterglow offers tunable emission durations for specific applications.
Related Concept Videos
01:03Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview
4.3K
Step-growth or condensation polymerization is a stepwise reaction of bi or multifunctional monomers to form long-chain polymers. As all the monomers are reactive, most of the monomers are consumed at the early stages of the reaction to form small chains of reactive oligomers, which then combine to form long polymer chains in the late stages. Hence, the reaction has to proceed for a long time to achieve high molecular weight polymers.
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...
4.3K
02:34Polymers
40.4K
The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the...
40.4K
00:57Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
2.8K
The cationic polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination. In the initiation step of the polymerization process, the π bond of a monomer gets protonated by the Lewis acid catalyst, which is formed from boron trifluoride and water. The protonation of the π bond generates a carbocation stabilized by the electron‐donating group. In the propagation step, the π bond of the second monomer acts as a nucleophile and attacks the...
2.8K
01:17Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview
3.9K
Ziegler–Natta polymerization is another form of addition or chain‐growth polymerization used for synthesizing linear polymers over branched polymers. The catalyst used for polymerization is the Ziegler–Natta catalyst, named after Karl Ziegler and Giulio Natta, who developed it in 1953. This catalyst is an organometallic complex of titanium tetrachloride and triethyl aluminum, with the active form of the catalyst being an alkyl titanium compound. Using the Ziegler–Natta...
3.9K
01:04Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
2.4K
The mechanism for anionic chain-growth polymerization involves initiation, propagation, and termination steps. In the initiation step, a nucleophilic anion, such as butyl lithium, initiates the polymerization process by attacking the π bond of the vinylic monomer. As a result, a carbanion, stabilized by the electron‐withdrawing group, is generated. The resulting carbanion acts as a Michael donor in the propagation step and attacks the second vinylic monomer, which acts as a Michael...
2.4K
01:09Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
3.4K
The radical chain-growth polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination of polymerization. The polymerization initiates when a free radical generated from the radical initiator adds to the unsaturated bond in the monomer. The unpaired electron of the free radical and one π electron in the unsaturated bond creates a σ bond between the free radical and the monomer. As a result, the other π electron in the unsaturated bond converts this species into...
3.4K