Successful development of tough and fluorescent self-healing materials

January 22, 2024

High self-healing ability and image transcription function in diverse environments became a reality

RIKEN CSRS has successfully developed self-healing materials that emit light with high fluorescence quantum yield and are capable of transcription of images, by rare earth metal-catalyzed terpolymerization of a monomer incorporating light-emitting unit, anisylpropylene, and ethylene.

In the current study, the research team has successfully developed self-healing materials that emit light with high fluorescence quantum yield and behave like rubber, by terpolymerization of a monomer incorporating a styrylpyrene group as light-emitting unit. Photoirradiation with a specific wavelength to this material leads to [2 + 2] cycloaddition of C-C double bonds in the styrylpyrene groups, enabling control of fluorescent properties. Two-dimensional images were successfully transcribed to the surface of the film material through photolithography applying this property.

The results make a huge contribution to development of new materials that exhibit self-healing and various functions not only in the air but also in a wide variety of environments, including water or acidic/alkaline solution. Exploitation in information storage devices and others can be also expected.

Original article

Journal of the American Chemical Society doi: 10.1021/jacs.3c12342

L. Huang, Y. Yang, J. Shao, G. Xiong, H. Wang, M. Nishiura, Z. Hou,

"Synthesis of Tough and Fluorescent Self-Healing Elastomers by Scandium-Catalyzed Terpolymerization of Pyrenylethenylstyrene, Ethylene, and Anisylpropylene".

Contact

Lin Huang; Postdoctoral Researcher
Masayoshi Nishiura; Senior Research Scientist
Zhaomin Hou; Group Director
Advanced Catalysis Research Group