Biobased Sulfur- and Phosphate-Containing High-Refractive-Index Polymers: Substituent Effects on Optical Properties of Polymers

Abstract

Four biobased phosphate-containing aryl monomers with methoxy, allyl, and vinyl groups as substituents have been successfully synthesized. Copolymerizing these monomers with thiophenol or mercaptans via the photoclick thiol−ene reaction gives the polymers with refractive indices (n D ) of 1.63− 1.70 and Abbe numbers (v D ) of 12.8−38.5. An investigation of the relationship of the v D values with the substituents on the benzene rings of the monomers indicates that methoxy and vinyl groups can collectively increase the v D values. In comparison with allyl groups, vinyl groups endow the polymers with both higher n D and v D . Moreover, these polymers also display high transmittance, high thermostability, and low haze values in the visible-light region, suggesting that these biobased functional monomers are satisfactory precursors used in the fabrication of optical devices.