Advances in Polymer-based Circularly Polarized Luminescent Materials

Abstract

Recently circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) generated by chiral materials have attracted tremendous attention due to its potential applications such as 3D displays, quantum communication, and information storage. Polymers have emerged as particularly promising platforms for generating and amplifying CPL, owing to their structural designability, inherent helical architectures, and excellent processability. Hence, this review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in polymer-based CPL materials, with a central focus on the rational construction of polymer chiral superstructures, including helical polymers bearing chiral centers on side chains for chiral transfer and amplification, helical polymers with chiral centers integrated into the main chain, achiral polymers complexed with small-molecule inducers through non-covalent interactions; and achiral polymers utilizing macromolecular inducers. By discussing representative examples, we elucidate the underlying mechanisms of chirality transfer, amplification, and luminescence that govern CPL. The review concludes by highlighting the key challenges and promising future perspectives in this field, aiming to guide further research and accelerate the practical application of polymer-based CPL materials.