Rare-Earth Complex Polymer for Plastic Fluorescent Materials

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Organic rare-earth complexes used as fluorescent materials in plastics face challenges with heat resistance and emission intensity due to ligand decomposition during high-temperature plastic fabrication processes, and inorganic complexes have issues with uniform dispersion and fluorescence emission in plastics.

Innovation Solution

A rare-earth complex polymer is developed with trivalent rare-earth ions and phosphine oxide multidentate ligands, forming a crosslinked structure that maintains stability and emission intensity even at high temperatures, allowing uniform dispersion in plastics and enhancing heat resistance and optical durability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If organic rare-earth complexes are used as fluorescent materials in plastic fabrication, then uniform dispersion and fluorescence emission are achieved, but ligand decomposition occurs at high processing temperatures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat resistanceVSAvoidemission intensity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention creates a composite structure where organic ligands are coordinated to rare-earth ions to form stable complex polymers. This composite approach combines the dispersibility and fluorescence emission of organic materials with the heat resistance required for plastic processing, resolving the contradiction between emission performance and thermal stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention modifies the chemical parameters of the ligand structure, specifically using phosphine oxide multidentate ligands with particular molecular architectures (formulas 1 and 2). These parameter changes in ligand design enable the complex to maintain structural integrity at high temperatures while preserving fluorescence emission capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Temperature

If inorganic fluorescent materials are used in plastic materials, then heat resistance is achieved, but uniform dispersion and fluorescence emission are not achieved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat resistanceVSAvoiduniform dispersion
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The invention transitions from inorganic to organic material parameters, using organic phosphine oxide ligands coordinated to rare-earth ions. This parameter change enables the material to become soluble and uniformly dispersible in plastic matrices while maintaining heat resistance through the stable coordination complex structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces organic ligand shells around rare-earth ions, creating local organic environments that enable dispersion in organic plastic matrices. This local quality change at the molecular level allows the material to achieve uniform dispersion while the overall complex structure maintains thermal stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If conventional organic ligands are coordinated to rare-earth ions, then uniform dispersion in plastics is achieved, but ligand decomposition occurs during high-temperature fabrication

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat resistanceVSAvoidfabrication processability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the chemical parameters of the ligand from conventional organic ligands to phosphine oxide multidentate ligands with specific structural features (formulas 1 and 2). These parameter changes increase the thermal stability of the complex, enabling it to withstand plastic fabrication temperatures without decomposition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite polymer complex structure where phosphine oxide ligands are coordinated to rare-earth ions. This composite structure combines the processability of organic materials with enhanced heat resistance, allowing the complex to be manufactured using conventional plastic processing methods while withstanding the required temperatures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The rare-earth complex polymer exhibits high heat resistance, emission intensity, and optical durability, enabling its use as a fluorescent material in plastics without decomposition during high-temperature processing, while maintaining uniform dispersion and effective fluorescence.

Implementation Method 1

phosphine oxide multidentate ligands being coordinated to a plurality of the rare-earth ions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCoordination: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

can emit fluorescence even when dispersed in plastic materials

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluorescence: Fluorescence

Data Source

PatentEP2706081B1Rare-earth complex polymer and plastic molded product
Publication Date: 2021.07.07 HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITY
  • EP2706081B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2706081B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2706081B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention intends to provide a rare-earth complex polymer having a sufficient heat resistance to be blended in a plastic material and fabricated. A preferable embodiment of the rare-earth complex polymer comprises a plurality of both trivalent rare-earth ions and phosphine oxide multidentate ligands and a crosslinked structure formed by the phosphine oxide multidentate ligands being coordinated to a plurality of the rare-earth ions.