Dutch scientists create plastic that emits light when pulled

11-06-2012: Scientists at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in the Netherlands for the first time succeeded in creating a plastic that emits light when pulled. The researchers can make the plastic emit red, yellow, blue and green light. The results were published in Nature Chemistry.

The researchers incorporate an additional element in the plastic molecules, a molecular ring called dioxetane. When the plastic is pulled hard enough, the ring breaks open and emits light. The plastic only gives light as long as it is pulled. As soon as the plastic is completely torn apart, a flash of light is seen because a lot of molecular rings break at the same time.

Tensile strength

The research has mainly been driven by fundamental scientific questions. The researchers were looking for possibilities to unlock new types of chemistry with the use of mechanical forces, says Professor of Supramolecular Polymer Chemistry Rint Sijbesma.

However, he does see a very suitable application. The transmitted light makes it possible to very accurately see where, when and how polymers break. In this way the collapse behaviour of polymers can be studied in detail.

Luminous rods are different

The principle is quite different, by the way, from that of the luminous rods that are used at concerts, et cetera. When the rods are bend and broken inside, two liquids mix, creating a new chemical substance. This material starts to fall apart spontaneously, at the same time emitting light.

Original publication:
Yulan Chen, Jolanda Spiering, S. Karthikeyan, Gerrit Peters, Bert Meijer en Rint Sijbesma; "Mechanically induced chemiluminescence from polymers incorporating a 1,2-dioxetane unit in the main chain"; Nature Chemistry.