Luminescence Studies of Polymer Matrices: 2. on the Phosphorescence Characteristics of 2-Benzoylnaphthalene Dispersed in Various Acrylic Polymers

The phosphorescence characteristics of 2-benzoylnaphthalene (2BN) dispersed within thin films of poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(methyl acrylate), polystyrene and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) respectively, are described. The excited state decay kinetics of the probe are complex in each of the macromolecular hosts studied: such behaviour is considered to result from differing degrees of phosphor–host matrix interaction but may also reflect, particularly in the case of PAA, heterogeneities within the bulk polymer phase. The thermal dependence of the intensity and average lifetime of phosphorescence of the various phosphor/polymer combinations were also investigated with a view to identifying a host matrix for a high-performance coding ink. Preliminary data indicate that the longest-lived, most intense triplet emission results from the 2BN doped PAA system.