Tough, stable and self-healing luminescent perovskite-polymer matrix applicable to all harsh aquatic environments

Gelatinous underwater invertebrates such as jellyfish have organs that are transparent, luminescent and self-healing, enabling navigation, camouflage and survival in aquatic environments. Artificial luminescent materials with similar functionality are desirable for aquatic wearable/stretchable displays and water-resistant devices. Here, a luminescent composite that is simultaneously transparent, tough and autonomously self-healing in both dry and wet conditions is reported. A tough, self-healable fluorine elastomer with dipole-dipole interactions is synthesized as the polymer matrix, exhibiting excellent compatibility with metal halide perovskite quantum dots. The composite has a toughness of 19 MJ m−3, maximum strain of 1300%, and the capability to autonomously self-heal underwater. Notably, the material withstands extremely harsh aqueous conditions, including highly salty, acidic (pH = 1) and basic (pH = 13) environments for months with almost no decay in mechanical performance or optical properties.

Yuncong Liu, Tao Chen, Zhekai Jin, Mengxue Li, Dongdong Zhang, Lian Duan, Zhiguo Zhao, Chao Wang