A Fluorescent Polyethylene With Good Processability and Mechanical Flexibility Prepared by a One-Step Melt Mixing Strategy

To meet the growing demand for flexible wearable devices in the information era, the development of cost-effective, easy-processable, and mechanically sound flexible luminescent materials is pivotal but remains challenging. Here, a facile one-step melt mixing strategy is reported to prepare the reprocessable polyethylene with high stable fluorescence (f-PE) using low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-dosages of benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as raw materials. Typically, after 30 min mixing 50 g LDPE with 1 g BPO in a 110-rpm mixer, the resulting f-PE exhibited high fluorescent brightness and remarkable fluorescent stability. In addition to good fluorescent and mechanical properties, f-PE also demonstrated excellent processability and can be processed using conventional melt processing methods for normal PE. Based on the results, the extended through-space n-π*/π-π* interactions resulting from the high-content BPO-induced extensive grafting of oxygen-containing functional groups on the main chain is proposed, as well as the chain scissions and rearrangement under strong melt shearing, may be main factors to contribute f-PE with luminescent and processable properties. Thanks to advantages such as cost-effective raw materials, and scalable and solvent-free production, the f-PE and its preparation technique show great potential for flexible wearable applications, bringing new opportunities for functionalizing traditional versatile PE.