A facile and economical method to synthesize a novel wide gamut fluorescent copolyester with outstanding properties

Abstract

In recent years, non-traditional intrinsic luminescence (NTIL) polymers have attracted extensive attention because of their interesting fluorescence properties. The traditional polyester polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is well known for its wide application, yet the fluorescence characteristics of this polyester have rarely been reported. Herein, a series of high molecular weight PET modified copolyesters were synthesized by a simple and economical two-step polycondensation method, and for the first time we found that the copolyesters exhibited an unexpected green fluorescence under 365 nm UV light. Therefore, we obtained a series of new PET copolyesters with wide color gamut fluorescence characteristics and excellent mechanical and thermodynamic properties. These copolyesters exhibited aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics in solution. The preliminary results showed that the spatial aggregation of electron-rich groups such as the benzene ring, the carbonyl group and the carbon oxygen bond was the main cause of the unusual fluorescence. This study broadens the application field of the traditional polyester and effectively enriches its fluorescence properties, and has theoretical and practical significance for the research of non-traditional intrinsic luminescent polymer materials.