Strong luminescent property and high mechanical enhancement on polyethylene terephthalate through doping Tb3+-induced nanoaggreates of poly(styrene-b-acrylic acid)

In this study, an innovated Tb 3+ -induced polystyrene-co-acrylic acid aggregates (TIPAs) were synthesized to impart strong luminescent property and high mechanical enhancement on polyethylene terephthalate. The structure and photophysical properties of TIPAs were investigated, and their incorporation into poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) was explored to fabricate a novel hybrid luminescent PET-based hybrid material via melt blending. By adjusting the doping concentration of TIPAs (ranging from 0.3 wt% to 2 wt%), a comprehensive study was conducted on the crystallization behavior, mechanical properties, and fluorescence performance of the composite. The physicochemical properties of the materials were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), tensile testing, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The relative crystallinity of the composite TIPAs@PET increased by 38.2 %, and both the tensile strength and modulus improved by 41.4 % and 34.4 %, respectively, when the TIPA doping concentration was 1.2 wt%. Moreover, the fluorescence intensity of the hybrid luminescent PET material reached its maximum at a doping level of 1.2 wt%, while maintaining excellent transparency. The introduction of TIPAs not only endowed the PET polyester with enhanced fluorescence and mechanical properties but also acted as an efficient nucleating agent, promoting the crystallization of PET.