Reversible stimuli-responsive luminescent polymers with adaptable mechanical properties based on europium-malonate complex

Abstract

Luminescent polymers that are dynamic in reversible response to external stimuli are of profound interest for the development of advanced optical devices and sensors. Here, we fabricate a new class of transparent poly(urea-urethane) containing malonate moieties through simple one-pot polycondensation. When blended with different amounts of europium ions, the resultant polymer complexes show a tunable broad spectrum of mechanical properties with their modulus adjusted from 5 MPa to 60 MPa. In the meantime, the incorporation of europium endows the metallo-supramolecular polymers with fluorescence that can reversibly respond to organic solvents like acetylacetone/triethylamine as well as temperature due to the formation of dynamic europium-malonate coordination. Given that each optical or sensor field has its own requirement for materials’ mechanical properties, we believe therefore our designed stimuli-responsive luminescent polymers with adaptable mechanical properties show great potential in the applications.