Advanced Optical Polymers: Synthesis, Characterization, Dopants and Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Optical polymers belong to the group of materials that are widely used in photonic technologies. Therefore, significant effort is devoted to both the thorough analysis of existing and the synthesis of new optical polymers, whose special properties can become competitive for many industries.

Due to their isotropy and homogeneity comparable to that of conventional optical glasses, optical polymers are also called organic glasses. The most commonly used representatives of this group of compounds include poly(methyl methacrylate), which is characterized by the highest transparency, polystyrene, which has long been used in optical technology, and polycarbonates, which are characterized by the highest thermal resistance. These materials are characterized by great ease of forming, low price, and the ability to produce large components with complex shapes, difficult to process individually. In addition, they have good visible light transmission, low specific weight, considerable flexibility, and high thermal expansion. The optical properties of such materials may include refractive index, polarization, absorption, luminescence (fluorescence), and transmittance, etc.

One of the most interesting types of advanced optical polymers are those modified with MOFs (metal–organic frameworks). They combine the physical and chemical properties of both inorganic and organic building blocks in fascinating crystal structures with a broad array of functional features. The enormous possibilities of combining and synergistic effects mean that MOFs enable the production of innovative optical implementations characterized by wide functionality.

Aiming to highlight this concept, this Special Issue will focus on the monomeric and polymeric materials currently used in optical technologies, photochemistry, and other related techniques, as well as all kinds of advanced polymeric materials characterized by optical properties.

We kindly invite you to submit manuscripts for this Special Issue. Full papers, communications, and reviews are all welcome.

Dr. Małgorzata Gil-Kowalczyk
Dr. Renata Łyszczek
Guest Editors

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