Ultralong Room-Temperature Phosphorescence Achieved by Microcapsule Rupture-Triggered In-Situ Polymerization for...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Optoelectronics

Background:

• Mechano-responsive materials with ultralong room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) are crucial for advanced applications but remain challenging to develop.
• Existing methods often lack site-specific activation and tunable emission properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel strategy for achieving mechano-responsive ultralong RTP materials with tunable, site-specific emissions.
• To demonstrate the potential of these materials in self-repairing coatings and anti-counterfeiting technologies.

Main Methods:

• A microcapsule (MC) rupture-triggered in-situ polymerization strategy was employed.
• Organic phosphors and moisture-reactive hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) were co-encapsulated in MCs and dispersed in a polymer matrix.
• Mechanical damage induced MC rupture, releasing HDI for polymerization and RTP activation.

Main Results:

• The system achieved ultralong RTP lifetimes exceeding 1.5 seconds with a phosphorescence quantum yield of 11.2%.
• Emissions were tunable across the full color spectrum (blue to red) by selecting different organic phosphors.
• The materials exhibited exceptional stability in various aqueous and organic environments and at high temperatures.

Conclusions:

• The proposed strategy effectively enables mechano-responsive ultralong RTP with site-specific "turn-on" behavior.
• This approach offers a versatile platform for creating self-repairing smart coatings and advanced anti-counterfeiting systems.
• The compatibility with diverse polymer matrices broadens the applicability of these stimuli-responsive materials.