Self-Healing Amorphous Polymers with Room-Temperature Phosphorescence Enabled by Boron-Based Dative Bonds

Abstract

Dative bonds are crucial for room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) of metal complexes, which are nevertheless of high cost and toxicity. Here, we develop a class of amorphous RTP polymers based on nonmetal dative bonds through copolymerizing vinylphenylboronic acid and acrylamide derivatives. Nonmetal dative bonds, formed between boron and nitrogen/oxygen atoms, can populate triplet excitons through charge transfer and immobilize phosphors to suppress nonradiative relaxation, leading to effective RTP lifetime in air. Moreover, the dynamic nature of the dative bonds enables self-healing and anticounterfeiting abilities of the RTP polymers. The concept of designing nonmetal dative bonds can widely expand the horizon and application of RTP polymers.