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2026 Vol.36, Issue 1 Preview Page

Research Paper

Fluorescent Tunability of Waterborne Polyurethane Modified by Schiff Base Cu(II) Complexes
Xin Bu1
,
Tianfu Wang1
,
Kaixuan Shao2
,
Kehua Zhang2†
,
Mingdi Yang2
,
Xianhai Hu2†
1Reheo Technology Co., Ltd., Hefei 230088, China
2Anhui Key Laboratory of Advanced Building Materials, School of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Anhui Jianzhu University, Hefei 230601, China
†Corresponding author E-Mail : zhangkehua@ahjzu.edu.cn (K. Zhang, Anhui Jianzhu Univ.), hxyh@ahjzu.edu.cn (X. Hu, Anhui Jianzhu Univ.)
27 January 2026. pp. 17-25
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Abstract

In the field of high-end optics, the demand for fluorescent-tunable polymers is increasingly urgent. However, traditional fluorescent materials have limitations including insufficient stability, poor processability, and volatile organic compound (VOC) pollution. In this study, using an improved acetone method synthesis process, Schiff base Cu(II) complexes were innovatively introduced into the main chain of waterborne polyurethane (WPU), to successfully prepare fluorescence-controllable PMBxCu1-WPU (x = 1, 2, 3), realizing the stable bonding of the Schiff base ligand (PMB) and Cu(II) in the polyurethane chain. The successful synthesis of PMB and the structure of the PMBxCu1-WPU were confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffractometer and other testing methods. It was found that the particle size of PMBxCu1-WPU increased by increasing Cu(II) content, and the absolute value of its Zeta potential exceeded 40 mV, showing excellent dispersion stability. PMBxCu1-WPU still maintained good thermal stability, with an initial decomposition temperature of about 220 °C. With the increase in Cu(II) coordination degree, the UV-vis absorption peak undergoes a certain degree of redshift. It is worth noting that after PMB was incorporated into WPU, its emission peak redshifted from 499 nm to 551 nm; with the increase of Cu(II) coordination degree, the emission peak further blue-shifted to 534 nm, which indicates that the fluorescence emission wavelength of PMBxCu1-WPU can be precisely regulated by the coordination degree of Cu(II). This study provides a new method for developing high-performance fluorescent-tunable waterborne polyurethane, and has potential application in the fields of intelligent anti-counterfeiting and biomedicine.

Keywords
waterborne polyurethane
tunable fluorescence
metal complexes
schiff base Cu(II) complex
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Information
  • Publisher :Materials Research Society of Korea
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국재료학회
  • Journal Title :Korean Journal of Materials Research
  • Journal Title(Ko) :한국재료학회지
  • Volume : 36
  • No :1
  • Pages :17-25
  • Received Date : 2025-08-13
  • Revised Date : 2025-11-07
  • Accepted Date : 2025-12-18
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.3740/MRSK.2026.36.1.17
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