3D Printable Organic Room Temperature Phosphorescent Elastomers Based on N-ethylcarbazole Derivatives

Abstract

Achieving stable, persistent room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) within flexible and deformable elastomer matrices, particularly those amenable to advanced manufacturing like 3D printing, is critical for developing future flexible sensors, yet remains a significant challenge. Existing limitations often arise from quenching effects inherent to polymer motions, the poor solubility or dispersion of phosphors, and the difficulty of maintaining photophysical integrity under mechanical stress. Here, we address this challenge by introducing a versatile, generalisable approach to fabricating high-performance, 3D-printable RTP elastomers. N-ethylcarbazole derivatives were developed as guests doped into 3D printable isobornyl acrylate (IBOA): butyl acrylate (BA) resins. The resulting RTP elastomers exhibit exceptional photophysical properties under ambient atmospheric conditions. It is worthy of note that these elastomers retain their RTP properties with consistency throughout both deformation under external force and the fully recovered state, and exhibit no observable alterations or losses. This work provides a general, scalable solution for producing 3D printable RTP elastomers, establishing a crucial foundation for exploring their applications in emerging fields such as flexible sensors and intelligent deformable structure.