Ultrastable Self‐Cross‐linkable Electro‐Optic Materials Based on a Bisanthracene Scaffold

ABSTRACT In this study, self‐cross‐linkable chromophores TD1 and TD2 were designed and synthesized, both of which use aniline derivatives as the donor, isophorone‐derived structures as the bridging unit, and trifluoromethyl‐substituted TCF (CF ₃ ‐TCF) as the acceptor. Among them, TD1 was functionally modified with cross‐linkable alkynyl and azide groups at the donor end and bridging end, respectively, while TD2 was introduced with bianthracene groups and acrylate groups. After cross‐linking, the nonlinear optical coefficients (r ₃₃ ) of TD1 and TD2 were 191 and 141 pm/V, respectively. Benefiting from the introduction of the bianthracene structure in TD2 molecules, its thermal stability was significantly superior to that of TD1, with a glass transition temperature (T _g ) of 111.06°C, which was 50.68°C higher than that of TD1. The glass transition temperature of cross‐linked TD2 was as high as 195.32°C, an increase of 51.97°C compared with TD1. After constant temperature heating at 85°C for more than 500 h, the cross‐linked and poled TD2 electro‐optic thin film could still retain 99.75% of its initial r ₃₃ value, indicating that its thermal stability was significantly improved compared with TD1. Therefore, TD2 is expected to be applied in advanced electronic materials under high‐temperature conditions.