Preparation and characterization of novel transparent Eu(AA)3-polyurethane acrylate copolymeric materials

The rare earth (RE) salts Eu(AA)3 (AA: acrylic acid group) and the macromonomers of polyurethane acrylate (MPUA) containing vinyl groups at the end of the chain are prepared for achieving a novel transparent Eu(AA)3‐polyurethane acrylate (Eu‐PUA) materials by copolymerization. The structure and properties of the Eu(AA)3 and the Eu‐PUA have been systematically characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (1H‐NMR, 13C‐NMR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and fluorescence spectrophotometer. It is proved that the Eu(AA)3 have been successfully bonded onto the molecular chains of the polyurethane acrylate and the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the polyurethane acrylate increases at the presence of Eu(AA)3. In addition, the Eu‐PUA materials show favorable thermal stability and transparence. Typically, the fluorescence spectra show that the strongest fluorescence emission peak of the Eu‐PUA material appears at 614 nm at the excitation wavelength of 395 nm. This demonstrates that such material can be applied to functional optical materials in the future. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012