Excimer suppression mechanism in light emitting polymer blends

Alternating copolymer of distyrylenediethylhexyloxyphenylene and phenyltriazine(PPVT) or hydroxyphenyltriazine(PVOT) is synthesized in order to enhance the electron mobility in the light emitting polymers. Photoluminescence(PL) spectrum of PPVT shows excimeric characteristics but PVOT generates excitonic PL emission. A blend of PVOT with polyvinylcarbazole(PVK) enhances the PL intensity of PVOT on photoexcitation of PVK indicating an efficient energy transfer. The excimeric PL emission of PPVT is suppressed on photoexcitation of a blend with PVK at the UV-visible absorption(AB) maximum of PVK, which is an indirect photoexcitation, while the energy transfer from PVK to PPVT is not completed.     

MOLECULAR DESIGN OF LIGHT EMITTING POLYMERS

Fluorene-based alternating and statistical copolymers were synthesized by employing reaction methods of Wittig,Heck and Suzuki. The copolymers were classified into three groups with the photoluminescence (PL) emission maxima at420, 475 and 500 nm, respectively. Statistical copolymers with two chromophores having PL emission maxima at 420 and475 nm emitted light with the emission maximum at 475 nm on photoexcitation at 365 nm and improved the quantumefficiency by the energy transfer. However, the intramolecular energy transfer was inefficient compared to the intermolecularenergy transfer when the two chromophores were apart from each other in the range of the Forster critical distance. Fluorene-pyridinedivinylene alternating copolymer was synthesized by the Wittig reaction and found to have physical, electronic andelectrochemical properties of the individual units intact. The double-layered light emitting diode (LED) with the statisticalcopolymer as an emitting layer and the pyridine-containing copolymer as an electron transporting-hole blocking layer, whichwere sandwiched between ITO and Al, displayed a quantum efficiency of 0.1%.     

PVK与新型D-π-A分子掺杂体系的能量转移及发光性质

通过对PVK与4种新型D-π-A分子(分别简写为CKD, TKD, PKD, NKD)掺杂体系的吸收光谱、激发光谱和光致发光光谱的研究, 分析了掺杂体系的光致发光特性和能量转移现象. 制备了结构为ITO/PEDOT/PVK∶D-π-A ω/Alq3/Al的电致发光器件, 研究了掺杂体系的电致发光性能. 研究结果表明, 通过改变D-π-A分子中不同给电子能力的电子给体, 可以调控其带隙, 进而实现对D-π-A分子发光峰位的调节; 给电子基团空间立构效应越高, 其荧光量子效率越高. 在掺杂体系的光致发光和电致发光中, PVK与D-π-A分子之间都发生了有效的能量转移, 通过调节PVK与D-π-A分子的比例, 可以调节掺杂体系的发光性能. 当TKD在PVK中的掺杂质量分数为6％时, 电致发光器件发光亮度为729.1 cd/m2时, 发光效率达到1.75 cd/A.     

Synthesis and characterization of a soluble blue light emitting alternating copolymer

An alternating copolymer with monomer units of fluorene and phenylenedivinylene was synthesized by reaction between n-hexyl fluorene phosphonium salt and isophthalic aldehyde based on the Wittig reaction. The polymer solution in chloroform was made into a film with a very fine surface by spin-casting on indium-tin oxide (ITO) coated glass to fabricate a light emitting diode (LED) with an aluminum negative electrode. The optical absorption spectrum of the solid film shows a peak at 370 ran while the PL spectrum has the main peak at 560 nm with a secondary peak at 440 nm and the EL spectrum has a single peak at 560 nm showing the Stokes shift of 190 nm. The peak in the PL spectrum shifts to 420 nm with a vibronic structure at 440 nm on either dilution by chloroform or blending with polyvinylcarbazole (PVK). The emissive polymer bulk seemed to generate sites for excimers and molecular aggregates which were diminished on the dilution or blending. The peak in the EL spectrum also shifts to 440 nm on blending of 20% of the copolymer with PVK. Further dilution to 10% of the copolymer shifts the EL peak to 420 nm with the onset potential of 15 V and the highest quantum efficiency of 0.01% in this series. The concentrated channels were developed in the blends with severe phase separation to show a lower onset potential but poor quantum efficiency.     

Electroplex emission from a blend of poly(N-vinylcarbazole) and 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1, 10-phenanthroline

The PL and EL spectra of poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) : 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1, 10-phenanthroline (BCP) (1:1 w/w) film were found completely different. The PL spectrum is a single peak at 415 nm that originates from excitons emission from PVK, and the tail of the spectrum is suggested to be excimer emission from BCP molecules. However, a new emission at 595 nm was found in the EL spectra of devices ITO/PEDOT:PSS(50 nm)/PVK:BCP(1:1)(100 nm)/Al. After aggregate, exciplex and product of electrochemical reaction were ruled out, the new emission was proposed to be electroplex emission that occurred between PVK and BCP molecules. Under high voltage, only electroplex emission can be observed in the EL spectra.     

Electrogenerated chemiluminescence of a spirobifluorene-linked bisanthracene: a possible simultaneous, two-electron transfer

We report the electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) of 2,2'-bis(10-phenylanthracen-9-yl)-9,9'-spirobifluorene (spiro-FPA), a dichromophoric molecule composed of two phenylanthracenes linked by a spirobifluorene moiety (PA-X-PA). The results are compared to those for 9,10-diphenylanthracene (DPA), a related molecule with a single chromophore. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) of spiro-FPA shows two reversible, closely spaced, one-electron transfers on both reduction and oxidation, occurring at E(o)(1,red) = -2.02, E(o)(2,red) = -2.07 V vs SCE and E(o)(1,ox) = 1.14, E(o)(2,ox) = 1.20 V vs SCE. The potentials for each pair are close enough to appear as a single peak in CV, indicating that the spirobifluorene moiety interrupts conjugation between the redox centers. The potentials observed are similar to those of DPA, which shows E(o)(red) = -2.06 V vs SCE and E(o)(ox) = 1.15 V vs SCE. The absorbance spectrum of spiro-FPA shows lambda(max,abs) = 377 nm, with 377 = 25,700 M(-1) s(-1), while DPA exhibited lambda(max,abs) = 374 nm, with 374 = 13,800 M(-1) s(-1), demonstrating that spiro-FPA has twice the available chromophores as DPA. Photoluminescence (PL) data for spiro-FPA shows lambda(max,PL) = 434 nm, with Phi(PL) = 0.74, while DPA fluoresces at 420 nm with Phi(PL) = 0.91; thus, there is greater solvent or structural relaxation in the spiro-FPA excited state, which may account for the greater internal conversion. Unlike DPA, the ECL spectrum of spiro-FPA exhibits long-wavelength emission not observed in the PL. We attribute this emission to excimers formed during annihilation ECL. Steric hindrance prevents DPA from forming excimers, even in ECL, but spiro-FPA annihilation can occur between pairs of di-ions (PA(*-)-X-PA(*-) and PA(*+)-X-PA(*+)), which are electrostatically more strongly attracted to one another than the mono-ions. This greater electrostatic attraction may be sufficient to overcome the steric hindrance to excimer formation. Lowering the electrolyte concentration decreases the electrostatic shielding of the ions from one another; thus, the increase in longer wavelength ECL accompanying a decrease in electrolyte concentration supports the role of the di-ions in excimer formation. Additionally, simulations show, consistent with experiment, a more rapid decrease in excimer concentration than in excited monomer concentration as a function of time after each potential pulse. This is probably due to the greater number of scavenging reactions available for di-ions. The simulations are confirmed experimentally when lower potential pulsing frequencies yield lower relative excimer emission. Since an excited state created by one-electron transfer between two di-ions should be rapidly quenched via electron transfer by the other PA moiety, the existence of excimers suggests the possibility of simultaneous, two-electron transfer to generate the excimer.     

Luminescence properties of epoxy resins modified with a carbazole derivative

Luminescence properties of a new material - epoxy resin with added 9-(2,3-epoxypropyl)carbazole (REPK) were studied. Absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra of REPK are compared with those of poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK). PL in REPK is shifted to shorter wavelengths. Its intensity is higher than in PVK. REPK emits light in the range from 330 nm to 470 nm. PL spectrum of REPK could be well deconvoluted for four emission bands.     

Molecular simulation of excimer fluorescence in polystyrene and poly(vinylcarbazole)

In fluorescence emission spectra of poly(vinylcarbazole) (PVK), two types of excimers are observed, the fully and the partially overlapped excimers, namely, excimers and exciplexes. In this work, we investigated the structural changes induced by the transition between electronic levels S(0) and S(1). Furthermore, the widely used assumption of similar potential energy surfaces in the S(0) and S(1) states and its use in molecular dynamics simulations are thoroughly examined for PVK and polystyrene (PS). The ground-state and excited-state intermolecular potentials between phenyl or carbazyl substituents in PS or PVK, respectively, are computed from high-level ab initio calculations and fit to analytic potentials. Finally, molecular dynamics simulations are performed at room temperature for PS and for isotactic and syndiotactic PVK. This treatment enabled the decoupling of excimer and exciplex contributions from the simulated spectra.     

A π‐stacked and conjugated hybrid based on poly(N‐vinylcarbazole) postfunctionalized with terfluorene for stable deep‐blue hole‐transporting materials

The combination of π‐stacked with π‐conjugated building blocks offers an essential strategy to construct multifunctional organic semiconductors (MOSs) with the unique optoelectrical properties. Covalent hybrids can efficiently avoid the intrinsic phase‐separation defects in corresponding blend system. In this contribution, poly(vinylcarbazole) tethered with terfluorene, PVK‐TF, as a double‐channeled π‐stacked and π‐conjugated hybrid (SCH), has been constructed via Friedal‐Crafts click postmodification (FCCP). The chemical structure and optoelectrical property were determined by GPC, UV–vis, PL, TGA, DSC, and CV. Its PL spectra in the annealing thin film at N₂ atmosphere without low‐energy emission bands centered at the 530 nm indicates that no π‐stacks between carbazole and TF or among TFs dominate the whole condensed phase, which is in agreement with the intrachain T‐shaped π‐pitched motifs in molecular modeling simulation due to steric hindrance effect in complicated diarylfluorenes (CDAFs). A supporting prototype stable deep‐blue PLED was successfully obtained with an Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.20, 0.10) and a width at half maximum (FWHM) of about 60 nm at high current density of 100 mA/cm² (35 V). Deep‐blue PVK‐TF is a promising MOS for hole‐transporting and host materials. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 5221–5229, 2009     

Photoluminescence and Electroluminescence Properties of 2,5-Bis[2,2′-bis(5-phenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole] Thiophene(T-OXD)and T-OXD/Poly(9-vinylcarbazole) Blends

The photoluminescence(PL) and the electroluminescence(EL) properties of a novel organic compound, 2,5-bis(2,2′-bis(5-phenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole(T-OXD), were studied in chloroform and in a solid thin film. The PL and the EL properties of T-OXD/poly(9-vinylcarbazole)(PVK) blends were also studied, which contained various contents of T-OXD. The PL maximum emission peaks of T-OXD/PVK blends show gradual bathochromtic-shift with the increase of the T-OXD content. The EL spectra of T-OXD/PVK devices are similar to their PL spectra, and all the EL maximum emission peaks show bathochromtic-shift compared with the corresponding PL spectra, which is ascribed to the formation of electroplex. The turn-on voltages for ITO/T-OXD:PVK/Al devices decreased from 13.5 V of the device cotaining 0.1% T-OXD(mass fraction) to 5 V of the device containing 5% T-OXD, which suggests that T-OXD improves the energy level match between T-OXD and PVK and enhances the emission efficiency. The experimental results indicate that T-OXD can be used as a good electron transporting material.     

Aggregation‐Controlled Excimer Emission from Anthracene‐Containing Polyamidoamine Dendrimers

Lower generations of polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers were peripherally modified with anthracene moieties, and excimer emission from anthracene chromophores was investigated in an acetonitrile–water mixture at acidic and basic pH values. Results from fluorescence spectroscopic experiments suggest that 1) the propensity of anthracene‐modified PAMAM dendrimers to aggregate in acetonitrile is substantial in the presence of 15–20 vol % of water, and 2) aggregate formation in anthracene‐modified PAMAM dendrimers leads to unique morphologies in the ground state, where the anthracene units are pre‐arranged to form stable excimers upon photoexcitation. Three types of anthracene excimers are generated in the system, with face‐to‐face, angular, and T‐shaped geometry. The formation of different types of anthracene excimers was confirmed by steady‐state and time‐resolved fluorescence spectroscopic experiments. Experimental results further suggest that it is feasible to alter the type of excimer formed by anthracene units attached to the PAMAM dendrimers through altering the propensity for ground‐state aggregation. Most excitingly, increased π conjugation in the molecular framework of anthracene‐substituted PAMAM dendrimers leads to intense and exclusive excimer emission from anthracene at room temperature.     

Intrachain photoluminescence dynamics of MEH-PPV in the solid state

The photoluminescence (PL) dynamics of poly[2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) blended in host polymer (polypropylene, PP) matrix as well as that in the neat film has been studied. The concentration of MEH-PPV in the PP blend is designed to be fairly low (0.01 wt %) in order to observe the intrinsic intrachain PL property of MEH-PPV in the solid state. The steady-state 0-0 PL band of the blend sample shows a blue-shift of 0.12 eV with respect to that of the neat film of MEH-PPV. The PL-excitation (PLE) spectra of the blend sample exhibit definite vibronic structure, and hence we can determine the magnitude of the Stokes shift as 0.06 eV. The blend sample shows a single-exponential PL decay at 4 K with a time constant of 850 ps. We emphasize that this single-exponential-type PL decay is an intrinsic property of the intrachain PL species. Time-resolved PL measurements confirm dynamical red-shift of the PL band in the neat film, whereas this trend is not found in the case of the PP blend. These observations indicate that the energy transfer between finite segments, which can cause exciton migration, is much less efficient within the isolated MEH-PPV polymer chain compared to the case of the interchain transfer. The time-resolved measurements further demonstrate that the Stokes shift identified in the blend sample takes place at the early stage within 50 ps following photoexcitation. We attribute this Stokes shift to the rapid increase of the planarity of the MEH-PPV chain caused by the torsion of some constituent phenyl rings following photoexcitation. Finally, based on an argument on the different magnitudes of Stokes shift between the blend sample and the neat film, we conclude that the PL of MEH-PPV in the neat film predominantly occurs at the site of interchain excitations via the interchain migration of excitons.     

酸根离子掺杂对多孔阳极氧化铝光致发光特性的影响

采用电化学二次阳极氧化法分别在纯硫酸、纯草酸及硫酸-草酸混合电解液中制备了3个系列的多孔阳极氧化铝(AAO)样品, 考察了它们在250 nm光激发下的光致发光(PL)特性. 研究结果表明, 各系列AAO样品在350～450 nm波段范围内的PL谱形均完全相似, 具有相同的发光中心, 即氧空位缺陷态; 掺杂进入AAO样品的SO₄^2-和C₂O₄^2-分解形成的发光中心对应的光发射分别在288和328 nm附近; 对于硫酸-草酸混合电解液中生长的AAO样品, 其在328 nm附近的发光峰随着硫酸-草酸体积比的增大呈先增大后减少的变化, 而288 nm附近的发光峰却由基本消失到逐渐显现. 初步分析了该现象的成因.     

Synthesis and tunable emission of novel polyfluorene co-polymers with 1,8-naphthalimide pendant groups and application in a single layer-single component white emitting device

New luminescent polymers containing two individual emission species-poly(fluorene-alt-phenylene) as a blue host and variable amounts of 1,8-naphthalimide as red dopant have been designed and synthesized. Optical studies (optical absorption (OA) and steady-state photoluminescence emission (PL)) in diluted solutions and thin solid films reveal that the emission spectrum can be tuned by varying the content of 1,8-naphthalimide moieties. Although no significant interaction can be observed between both moieties in the ground state, after photoexcitation an efficient energy transfer takes place from the PFP backbone to the red chromophore, indeed, by adjusting the polymer/naphthalimide ratio it is possible to obtain single polymers which emit white light to the human eye in solid state. Energy transfer is more effective in the co-polymers than in physical mixtures of the two chromophores. We prepared single-layer electroluminescent simple devices with structure: ITO/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)/active layer/Ba/Al. With this single layer-single component device structure, white light with Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIE) color coordinates (0.3, 0.42) is obtained for the electroluminescence (EL) emission with an efficiency of 22.62 Cd/A.     

White light emission from single layer poly (n-vinylcarbazole) polymeric light-emitting devices by mixing singlet and triplet excimer emissions

White light electroluminescence (EL) was obtained by mixing emission from singlet and triplet excimers from a single poly (n-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) spin cast layer after irradiation of the solution with UV light. With increased UV light irradiation, the intensity from the triplet excimer (red-630 nm) of PVK increased compared with that of the singlet excimer (blue-460 nm) due to an increased population of both adjacent benzene rings being aligned with one another (fully overlapping) versus only one of the adjacent benzene rings being aligned (partially overlapping). The emission color changed from blue to white with increased UV irradiation time while the EL brightness and current density decreased and the turn-on voltage increased.     

Anomalous green emission and energy transfer in the n,n-dimethylformamide/hydrochloric acid/europium chloride system

The unusual green photoluminescence (PL) of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF)/hydrochloric acid (HCl)/europium chloride (EuCl3) solutions discovered earlier was investigated in more detail to clarify the emission mechanism. It was revealed that the DMF/HCl pair alone can yield a green PL band under UV excitation, and the emission has features of that of excimers. The addition of EuCl3 salt to the solution further stimulates the green emission. The quantum yield of the line emission of Eu3+ ions at 592 and 612 nm is also affected by the presence of HCl in the solution. Both the green emission band and Eu3+ emission lines possess a common channel of excitation at approximately 280 nm. This channel is the only source for the green emission band and an additional source for the Eu3+ emission lines, which can also be stimulated through a conventional Eu3+ excitation channel at 394 nm. The common excitation channel was found to be time-dependent, and its excitation maximum gradually shifts to longer wavelengths. Changes in the PL profiles of europium ions were also observed depending on the presence of HCl and the solution aging.     

Preparation, photo- and electro-luminescent properties of a novel complex of Tb (III) with a tripod ligand

A novel Tb(III) complex TbL (L=tris[2-(2-carboxyphenoxy)ethyl]amine, H3L) was synthesized and characterized by means of elemental analyses, IR spectra, thermal analyses, and molar conductivity measurement. The photoluminescent properties of the complex were investigated. In addition, PVK doping Tb(III) complex was fabricated as the emissive layer by spin-coating and its electroluminescent properties were studied, in which the structure of the device was ITO (indium tin oxide)/PVK (polyvinylcarbazole)/PVK: TbL/PBD (2-(4-biphenylyl)-5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole)/LiF/Al. It was indicated that pure green and narrow bandwidth emission at 545nm from photoluminescence of TbL complex film and the organic electroluminescent device is the characteristic emission of Tb(III) ion, and the electroluminescence spectrum of the device was very similar to that of the photoluminescence of TbL complex film. The lowest triplet level of the ligand was calculated from the phosphorescence spectrum of GdL in N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF) dilute solution determined at 77K, and the energy transfer mechanisms in TbL complex were discussed.     

Dimers of polyene antibiotic amphotericin B detected by means of fluorescence spectroscopy: molecular organization in solution and in lipid membranes

Fluorescence emission from amphotericin B dissolved in 2-propanol-water was recorded in the spectral region 500-650 nm. The fluorescence excitation spectrum corresponds to the absorption spectrum of the monomeric drug. The large energy shift between the excitation and emission bands indicates that emission takes place from an energy level different than that responsible for absorption. These levels were attributed to the 2(1)A(g) and 1(1)B(u) states, respectively. Excitation of the same sample with short wavelength radiation (below 350 nm) yields light emission between 400 and 550 nm. The fluorescence excitation spectrum corresponding to this emission band displays distinct maxima at 350, 334 and 318 nm. This band was analyzed in terms of the exciton splitting theory and assigned to amphotericin B in a dimeric form, in which chromophores are spaced by 4.9 A. The binding energy of the dimers, determined to be 4.9 kJ/mol, indicates that the structures are stabilized by van der Waals interactions. The same type of molecular structures was also detected in the lipid membranes formed with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine. Linear dichroism of amphotericin B embedded in lipid multibilayers indicates that molecules are distributed between two fractions: parallel (38%) and perpendicular (62%) with respect to the membrane. The biological importance of such membrane organization is discussed.     

Electrospun Supramolecular Hybrid Microfibers from Conjugated Polymers: Color Transformation and Conductivity Evolution

A type of novel electrospun supramolecular hybrid microfibers comprising poly(9-(4-(octyloxy)-phenyl)-2,7-fluoren-9-ol)(PPFOH) and poly(N-vinylcarbazole)(PVK) are successfully prepared for intriguing multi-color emission properties. The supramolecular tunable PPFOH aggregation in PVK matrix endows the complex with a smart energy transfer behavior to obtain the multi-color emissions. In stark contrast to PVK fibers, the emission color of PPFOH/PVK fibers with an efficient dispersion of PPFOH fluorophores at a proper dope ratio can be tuned in a wide spectrum of blue(0.1%), sky blue(0.5%), nearly white(1%), cyan(2%), green(5%) and yellow(10%). Besides, conductive behaviors of the microfiber were demonstrated in accompany with the increment of the doping ratio of PPFOH to PVK. Successful fabrication of polymer lightemitting diode(PLED) based on the blended electrospun fiber provided a further evidence of its excellent electrical property for potential applications in optoelectronic devices.     

基于蓝黄磷光二元互补色的高效聚合物白光器件

研究了基于互补色的高效聚合物白光器件,双色材料包括蓝绿光材料双(4,6-二氟苯基吡啶-N,C2)吡啶甲酰合铱(Firpic)和黄光材料三[3-(2,6-二甲基苯氧基)-6-(2-噻吩基)-哒嗪]铱(Fs-1),器件结构为ITO/PEDOT(40 nm)/PVK:OXD-7:Firpic:Fs-1(80 nm)/Ba(4 nm)/Al(120 nm).当发光层材料PVK∶OXD-7∶Firpic∶Fs-1质量比为63∶27∶10∶0.25时,用溶液加工方法得到高效白光器件,此时CIE色坐标为(0.30,0.39),最大电流效率为10.8 cd.A-1,亮度可达到4200 cd.m-2.在此基础上,引入水溶性电子注入材料聚[9,9-二(3′-N,N-二甲基胺基丙基-2,7-芴-2,7-交-(9,9-二辛基芴)](PFN)修饰阴极界面,使载流子注入和传输更平衡,当阴极为PFN(20 nm)/Al(120 nm)时,电流效率获得显著改善,达到13.1 cd.A-1,此时电流密度为4.9 mA.cm-2,亮度可达到6096 cd.m-2,白光器件的色坐标为(0.33,0.39),同时发光光谱稳定.另外通过电致发光(EL)、光致发光(PL)光谱及能级结构图分析了载流子俘获和能量转移在发光中的作用.