Full-color persistent room temperature phosphorescent elastomers with robust optical properties

Abstract Persistent room temperature phosphorescent materials with unique mechanical properties and robust optical properties have great potential in flexible electronics and photonics. However, developing such materials remains a formidable challenge. Here, we present highly stretchable, lightweight, and multicolored persistent luminescence elastomers, produced by incorporating ionic room temperature phosphorescent polymers and polyvinyl alcohol into a polydimethylsiloxane matrix. These prepared elastomers exhibit high optical transparency in daylight and emit bright persistent luminescence after the removal of 365 nm excitation. The homogeneous distribution of polymers within the matrix has been confirmed by confocal fluorescence microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Mechanical property investigations revealed that the prepared persistent luminescence elastomers possess satisfactory stretchability. Impressively, these elastomers maintain robust optical properties even under extensive and repeated mechanical deformations, a characteristic previously unprecedented. These fantastic features make these persistent luminescence elastomers ideal candidates for potential applications in wearable devices, flexible displays, and anti-counterfeiting.