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 that are amenable to advanced manufacturing techniques like 3D printing, is critical for developing future flexible sensors, yet it 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 in maintaining photophysical integrity under mechanical stress. Here, we address these challenges by introducing a versatile, generalisable approach to fabricate high-performance, 3D-printable RTP elastomers. N-Ethylcarbazole derivatives were developed as guest molecules doped into 3D-printable isobornyl acrylate (IBOA): benzyl acrylate (BA) resins. The resulting RTP elastomers exhibited exceptional photophysical properties under ambient atmospheric conditions. It is worthy of note that these elastomers retained their RTP properties consistently throughout both deformation under an external force and the fully recovered state and exhibited no observable alterations. This work provides a general, scalable solution for producing 3D printable RTP elastomers, establishing a foundation for exploring their applications in emerging fields such as flexible sensors and intelligent deformable structures.