A Facile and Economical Method to Synthesize a Novel Isosorbide‐Based Fluorescent Copolyesters with Outstanding Properties

Abstract

AbstractIn recent years, non‐traditional intrinsic luminescence (NTIL) materials containing only ester groups in their molecules have been emerging and received extensive attention and research. Nevertheless, the existing NTIL materials still have the problems of low molecular weight and insufficient mechanical properties, which limit their further application. Isosorbide is a kind of bio‐based rigid diol monomer which is mainly used to improve the heat resistance and mechanical properties of materials all along. Besides, the ring‐opening reaction under acidic conditions makes isosorbide‐based materials exhibit some new functionalities. In this paper, a series of isosorbide‐based copolyesters with high molecular weight are synthesized by a simple and economical two‐step melt polycondensation method. It is found that, on the basis of improving the thermal and mechanical properties of the materials, copolyesters also exhibit fluorescence emission in the visible region at the excitation wavelength of 350 nm. And the fluorescence emission wavelength can be adjusted from 400 to 480. This study broadens the functional application of the isosorbide‐based materials and effectively enriches fluorescence mechanism of NTIL.