Green as it Gets; Donor-Acceptor type Polymers as the Key to Realization of RGB Based Polymer Display Devices

Summary: Polymers that have one of the three complementary colors (red, green, and blue, RGB) in the neutral state and high transmissivity in the oxidized state are the key materials towards use in electrochromic devices and displays. Although many neutral state red and blue polymers have been reported up to date, green polymers with highly transmissive oxidized states, high optical contrasts, fast switching times, and advanced long-term switching stabilities were essentially missing in the literature. This paper reviews our previous efforts towards realization of neutral state green polymers with highly transmissive oxidized state. The key to this problem was found to be the synthesis of donor-acceptor polymers bearing benzothiadiazole or quinoxaline derivatives as the acceptor and electron rich 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene unit as the donor component. Green neutral state polymeric materials with highly transmissive oxidized state with excellent electrochromic properties have been realized with the design and synthesis of these types of materials. A solution processable green polymeric material has also been realized via chemical polymerization that has shown all superior properties of the electrochemically synthesized counterparts.     

New highly luminescent cationic polyelectrolytes based on poly(phenylenevinylene‐alt‐fluorenevinylene) or poly(fluorenevinylene) derivatives and their neutral precursors

Poly(phenylenevinylene‐alt‐fluorenevinylene) ( PF ) or poly(fluorenevinylene) ( F ) derivatives that carried alkyl chains with terminal tertiary amino groups were successfully synthesized via Heck coupling. They were postquaternized by reacting with bromoethane to the corresponding cationic polyelectrolytes PFQ and FQ . The neutral polymers PF and F as well as the quaternized polymer FQ were soluble in common organic solvents such as THF, chloroform, dichloromethane, and toluene. In contrast, the quaternized polymer PFQ did not dissolve in these solvents but was soluble in environmentally friendlier solvents like water and alcohols. The neutral precursors exhibited higher thermal stability and glass‐transition temperatures than the corresponding quaternized counterparts. All polymers emitted intense blue‐greenish light in solution (462–489 nm) with relatively high photoluminescence (PL) quantum yields 0.32–0.57, and as thin films (475–557 nm) with optical band gaps of 2.48–2.57 eV. The water soluble PFQ could find potential applications as chemo or biosensor. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1481–1491, 2007     

Solubility Switching of Metallophthalocyanines and Their Larger Derivatives upon Encapsulation

Metallophthalocyanines (MPcs) are very useful pigments but scarcely soluble without appropriate functional groups in common solvents. Herein, we report that bent polyaromatic amphiphiles act as excellent solubilizing reagents for nonfunctionalized MPcs and larger MPc derivatives (e.g., CuPc, perhalogenated CuPcs, Cu‐naphthalocyanine, CuPc polymers, and double‐decker MPcs) in neutral water upon encapsulation. The resultant MPc nanocomposites display high stability towards heat and pH change. More importantly, the encapsulated MPcs can be released by simple protocols under mild conditions both into a bulk solvent and onto glass or polymer plates.     

Intrinsic persistent room temperature phosphorescence derived from 1H-benzo[f]indole itself as a guest

The influence of 1H-benzo[f]indole (Bd) and its derivatives on room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) has raised great concern since they were found to significantly affect RTP of the extensively studied carbazole (Cz) derivatives. However, the role of Bd itself existing in Cz-based or other doping systems was still unclear. In order to clarify its intrinsic phosphorescent property, Bd was introduced as a guest into different organic matrixes including substituted Cz derivatives and polymers. The phosphorescence located in 560–620 nm was confirmed to be derived from Bd itself, which can be detected whatever Bd was doped in the crystal or amorphous state of Cz derivatives. The suitable energy gap between Cz derivatives and Bd is the key to achieve ultralong RTP of Bd. Additionally, when doped in polymers with plenty of hydrogen bonds, RTP of Bd with lifetime over 280 ms was easily obtained. Among them, Bd@PHEMA (poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) exhibited superior phosphorescence, with yellow afterglow lasting for over 2.5 s. Therefore, this work demonstrated that a new organic RTP phosphor, Bd, is discovered, and ultralong RTP of Bd can be achieved not only doped in Cz derivatives but also in polymers as the hosts.     

Polymeric Quasi-one-dimensional Platinum Compounds

Summary: Magnus' green salt, [Pt(NH₃)₄][PtCl₄], is a quasi-one-dimensional inorganic semiconductor containing linear arrays of platinum atoms. Its use in materials science is limited since it does not melt prior to decomposition and is largely insoluble in water and organic solvents which makes processing difficult. We have remedied this deficiency by substitution of coordinated ammonia or chloride by monodentate or bidentate ligands, including optically active aminoalkanes, resulting in soluble compounds. Depending on the ligands, the polymeric supramolecular structure in the solid state persisted in solution or decayed to ion pairs. In the solid state, the ligands markedly influenced the Pt-Pt distances, which on their part directed optical and electrical properties. Thus, high chiral anisotropy factors, cryochromic behavior, or (anisotropic) electric semiconductivity were found. A number of derivatives were processed to oriented films and fibers. Some complexes exhibited the color and electric characteristics of Magnus' green salt and thus can be regarded as soluble equivalents of Magnus' green salt. Oriented films of such a compound were applied as active semiconducting layer in field-effect transistors (FET). The corresponding devices showed remarkable stability towards air and water which was superior to that of unprotected field-effect transistors based on typical organic polymers.     

Water‐Soluble Polymers with Appending Porphyrins as Bioinspired Catalysts for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Molecular design to improve catalyst performance is significant but challenging. In enzymes, residue groups that are close to reaction centers play critical roles in regulating activities. Using this bioinspired strategy, three water‐soluble polymers were designed with appending Co porphyrins and different side‐chain groups to mimic enzyme reaction centers and activity‐controlling residue groups, respectively. With these polymers, high hydrogen evolution efficiency was achieved in neutral aqueous media for electro‐ (turnover frequency >2.3×10⁴ s^?1) and photocatalysis (turnover number >2.7×10⁴). Porphyrin units are surrounded and protected by polymer chains, and more importantly, the activity can be tuned with different side‐chain groups. Therefore, instead of revising molecular structures that is difficult from both design and synthesis points of view, polymers can be used to improve molecular solubility and stability and simultaneously regulate activity by using side‐chain groups.     

Soluble narrow band gap and blue propylenedioxythiophene-cyanovinylene polymers as multifunctional materials for photovoltaic and electrochromic applications

A family of soluble narrow band gap donor-acceptor conjugated polymers based on dioxythiophenes and cyanovinylenes is reported. The polymers were synthesized using Knoevenagel polycondensation or Yamamoto coupling polymerizations to yield polymers with molecular weights on the order of 10 000-20 000 g/mol, which possess solubility in common organic solvents. Thin film optical measurements revealed narrow band gaps of 1.5-1.8 eV, which gives the polymers a strong overlap of the solar spectrum. The energetic positions of the band edges were determined by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry and demonstrate that the polymers are both air stable and show a strong propensity for photoinduced charge transfer to fullerene acceptors. Such measurements also suggest that the polymers can be both p- and n-type doped, which is supported by spectroelectrochemical results. These polymers have been investigated as electron donors in photovoltaic devices in combination with PCBM ([6,6]-phenyl C(61)-butyric acid methyl ester) as an electron acceptor based on the near ideal band structures designed into the polymers. Efficiencies as high as 0.2% (AM1.5) with short circuit current densities as high as 1.2-1.3 mA/cm(2) have been observed in polymer/PCBM (1:4 by weight) devices and external quantum efficiencies of more than 10% have been observed at wavelengths longer than 600 nm. The electrochromic properties of the narrow band gap polymers are also of interest as the polymers show three accessible color states changing from an absorptive blue or purple in the neutral state to a transmissive sky-blue or gray in the oxidized and reduced forms. The wide electrochemical range of electrochromic activity coupled with the strong observed changes in transmissivity between oxidation states makes these materials potentially interesting for application to electrochromic displays.     

The steric effect of aromatic pendant groups and electrical bistability in π-stacked polymers for memory devices

In order to investigate the steric effect of aromatic pendant groups and the electrical bistability in nonconjugated polymers potentially for memory device applications, two π-stacked polymers with different steric structures are synthesized and characterized. They exhibit two conductivity states and can be switched from an initial low-conductivity (OFF) state to a high-conductivity (ON) state. Additionally, they demonstrate nonvolatile write-once-read-many-times (WORM) memory behavior with an ON/OFF current ratio up to 10(4), and flash memory behavior with an ON/OFF current ratio of approximately 10(5). Both steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopies are used to examine the conformational change of the polymers responding to an applied external electrical voltage. The results provide useful information on different steric effects of pendant groups in polymer chains, resulting in various electrical behaviors. The possibility in realizing an "erasable" behavior through breaking π-stacked structures of pendant groups by a reversal of the electric field was also discussed on the basis of temperature-dependent fluorescence spectroscopy investigation. These results may thus offer a guideline for the design of practical polymer memory devices via tuning steric structure of π-stacked polymers.     

环状聚茚并茚及其取代衍生物电子结构和磁性研究

采用半经验的AM1法，对环状聚茚并茚及其取代物的电子结构进行了计算研究 ，探讨了其磁性和取代基效应．计算得到，环状聚茚并茚及其取代物皆表现半导体 性质且发现其中一种异构体可能具有磁性．取代基效应表明，吸电子基团的取代使 聚合物的电子亲合势增大，而给电子基团的取代则导致电离势减少，但取代基效应 不能改变聚合物的半导体性质．此外，无论吸电子基团还是给电子基团的取代都不 能改变聚合物的磁性特征．     

Aryloxy and benzyloxy compounds of zirconium: Synthesis, structural characterization and studies on solvent-free ring-opening polymerization of ?-caprolactone and δ-valerolactone

A series of aryloxy compounds and benzyloxy derivatives of Zr(IV) were synthesized in good yields and purity, employing the alcoholysis route. They were completely characterized with different spectroscopic techniques and single crystal X-ray diffraction. A high degree of fluxional behavior of these compounds was understood through variable-temperature NMR studies. X-ray diffraction studies prove that these compounds exist as dimers in the solid state. They are potent catalysts for the ring-opening polymerization of ?-caprolactone (CL) and δ-valerolactone (VL) resulting in high polymers with good number average molecular weights (M_n) and molecular weight distributions (MWDs). The degree of control in these polymerizations was found to be superior with the zirconium compounds when compared with the titanium analogues. The rate of polymerization was found to be slower for the zirconium compounds, as realized from kinetic studies. Analysis of the MALDI-TOF and ¹H NMR spectra of low molecular weight oligomers of CL synthesized using these compounds reflect that these polymerizations proceed by the activated monomer mechanism.     

Synthesis and properties of new aromatic polyamides with redox‐active 2,4‐dimethoxytriphenylamine moieties

A new triphenylamine‐based diamine monomer, 4,4′‐diamino‐2″,4″‐dimethoxytriphenylamine ( 2 ), was synthesized from readily available reagents and was reacted with various aromatic dicarboxylic acids to produce a series of aromatic polyamides ( 4a–h ) containing the redox‐active 2,4‐dimethoxy‐substituted triphenylamine (dimethoxyTPA) unit. All the resulting polyamides were readily soluble in polar organic solvents and could be solution cast into tough and flexible films. These polymers exhibited good thermal stability with glass transition temperatures of 243–289 °C and softening temperatures of 238–280 °C, 10% weight loss temperatures in excess of 470 °C in nitrogen, and char yields higher than 60% at 800 °C in nitrogen. The redox behaviors of the polymers were examined using cyclic voltammetry (CV). All these polyamides showed two reversible oxidation processes in the first CV scan. The polymers also displayed low ionization potentials as a result of their dimethoxyTPA moieties. In addition, the polymers displayed excellent stability of electrochromic characteristics with coloration change from a colorless neutral state to green and blue‐purple oxidized states. These anodically coloring polyamides showed high green coloration efficiency (CE = 329 cm²/C), high contrast of optical transmittance change (ΔT% = 84% at 829 nm), and long‐term redox reversibility. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 3392–3401, 2010     

含苯并硒二唑聚咔唑/芴类共轭聚电解质及其前驱体的合成与性能研究

采用Suzuki偶合反应合成了一系列新型的咔唑、芴和2,1,3-苯并硒二唑的共聚物——聚[3,6-(N-(2-乙基己基))咔唑-2,1,3-苯并硒二唑-9,9-双(N,N-二甲基胺丙基)芴](PCzN-BSeD)及其相应的聚电解质衍生物——聚[3,6-(N-(2-乙基己基))咔唑-2,1,3-苯并硒二唑-9,9-(双(3′-(N,N-二甲基)-N-乙基铵)丙基)芴]二溴(PCzNBr-BSeD).在聚咔唑和芴中引入不同比例的2,1,3-苯并硒二唑(BSeD)单元,引起了由咔唑和芴链段向窄带隙苯并硒二唑(BSeD)单元有效的能量转移.通过对聚合物电致发光性能的研究,发现用聚(3,4-亚乙基二氧基噻吩)(PEDOT)或聚(3,4-亚乙基二氧基噻吩)/聚乙烯咔唑(PEDOT/PVK)作为空穴传输层时,器件的性能相差不大,表明咔唑的引入较明显的改善了聚合物的空穴注入性能.而且几乎所有的聚合物用高功函数铝作阴极的器件和用钡/铝作阴极的器件具有相近的发光性能,表明这类聚合物具有良好的电子注入性能.     

Synthesis,optical absorption and fluorescence of new poly(p-phenylene)-related polymers

The synthesis and properties of soluble, conjugated polymers consisting of oligo(p-phenylene) sequences linked by ethylene, vinylene, or ethylene, units are reported. Benzene-, stilbene-, diphenylacetylene- and 1,2-diphenylethane derivatives serve as monomers and are connected by the Suzuki-coupling method. A wide range of poly-(p-phenylene)-related polymers are available by the combination of different AA/BB-type monomers in various concentrations. The optical properties of the resulting polymers can therefore be tailored. Number-average degrees of polymerization of up to X̄_n = 137 were reached under optimized conditions. Photoluminescence quantum yields of these materials in solution are nearly one.     

几种电致发光聚合物材料的研究进展

介绍了几种典型的电致发光聚合物材料,包括聚(对苯乙烯撑)及其衍生物、聚噻吩及其衍生物、聚芴及其衍生物,对它们的结构、制备方法、特点进行了归纳和讨论。其中最重要的是聚(对苯乙烯撑)(PPV)及其衍生物,目前采用较多的制备方法是前聚物法和强碱诱导的去卤缩合法以及电化学聚合法。在苯环上引入长链烷烃、烷氧基或芳基后的取代PPV,即PPV的衍生物,可溶于很多有机溶剂。可溶性PPV衍生物为制备多层电致发光聚合物器件提供了有效途径。文章还对电致发光聚合物材料存在的问题和发展前景进行了探讨和展望。     

Synthesis and characterization of a new dyestuff polymer soluble in alkaline aqueous media

Novel dyestuff polymers were successfully obtained through oxidative polymerization technique. The synthesized Schiff base and its polymer were soluble in alkaline＇aqueous medium and they have various colors in different solutions. Also, it can be said that the synthesized compounds are suitable as coloring agent （dyestuff） for textile applications. Fluorescence properties of the compounds were determined in DMF with different concentrations （mg/L）. Poly-tris（4- aminophenyl）methanol （P-TAPM） has quite high emission and excitation intensity values. Optical and electrochemical band gaps of the polymers were lower than those of the monomers indicating the more conjugated structure of the polymers. The oxidized states of the novel dyestuff compounds were examined by cyclic voltammetry （CV） technique. The solid state conductivity measurements showed that the synthesized polymers were semiconductors when exposed to the iodine vapour their conductivities could be increased. P-TAPM had the highest undoped conductivity. Thermal characterizations of the synthesized compounds were carried out by TG-DTA and DSC methods.     

Four-center type photopolymerization in the solid state. III. Polymerization of phenylene diacrylic acid and its derivatives

The solid-state photopolymerization of phenylene diacrylic acid (PDA) and its derivatives was studied as an application of solid-state photodimerization of cinnamic acid to photopolymerization of corresponding bifunctional molecule which has two cinnamic units in a single molecule. p- and m-PDA, and their esters and amides were prepared and investigated with respect to their photopolymerizability. Many of them have been found to polymerize into linear high polymers with the cyclobutane rings in the main chain on irradiation by ultraviolet or visible light. The polymerization process, the structure of the polymers, and their general properties were investigated in several ways. All the polymers are very similar to poly-2,5-distyrylpyrazine and poly-1,4-bis(β-pyridyl-2-vinyl) benzene with respect to their polymerization behavior, polymer structure, and some polymer properties: these polymers are soluble in a limited number of solvents, they have a high melting point and an extremely high crystallinity. On the basis of chemical behavior of poly-PDA and its phenyl ester the possible steric configurations of these polymers are discussed. It is demonstrated for the PDA series that solid-state dimerization can be generally extended to solid-state photopolymerization of the compound having two dimerizable units in a single molecule, although the crystal structure renders polymerization impossible in certain cases.     

酸碱调控的二茂铁咪唑电化学开关

本文设计合成了一系列具有共轭结构的二茂铁咪唑衍生物,它们在质子的作用下呈现显著的光谱、核磁及电化学响应.在中性(或碱性)环境中,其氧化还原波处于低电位,表现为分子"关"的状态;在酸性环境中,其氧化还原波处于高电位,表现为分子"开"的状态;通过酸碱的调控作用其氧化还原波可以在高、低电位之间可逆转换,能够作为一类新型的电化...     

Rhodium-mediated stereoselective polymerization of "carbenes"

Unprecedented rhodium-catalyzed stereoselective polymerization of "carbenes" from ethyl diazoacetate (EDA) to give high molecular mass poly(ethyl 2-ylidene-acetate) is described. The mononuclear, neutral [(N,O-ligand)M(I)(cod)] (M = Rh, Ir) catalytic precursors for this reaction are characterized by (among others) single-crystal X-ray diffraction. These species mediate formation of a new type of polymers from EDA: carbon-chain polymers functionalized with a polar substituent at each carbon of the polymer backbone. The polymers are obtained as white powders with surprisingly sharp NMR resonances. Solution and solid state NMR data for these new polymers reveal a highly stereoregular polymer, with a high degree of crystallinity. The polymer is likely syndiotactic. Material properties are very different from those of atactic poly(diethyl fumarate) polymer obtained by radical polymerization of diethyl fumarate. Other diazoacetates are also polymerized. Further studies are underway to reveal possible applications of these new materials.     

Applications of Inorganic Polymeric Materials, III: Polyphosphazenes

Polyphosphazenes form one of the most important and interesting classes of inorganic polymers having a backbone of alternating phosphorus and nitrogen atoms with phosphorus atom bearing two organic side groups. The most important feature of these polymers is the synthesis route which allows the side groups to be changed over a wide range to obtain a broad variety of products with different properties from elastomers to glasses, water soluble to hydrophobic polymers, bioinert to bioactive materials, and electrical insulators to conductors. In this paper, some novel applications of these polymers in biomedical materials and advanced devices are reviewed.     

Synthesis and characterization of water-soluble poly(p-phenylene vinylene) derivatives via the dithiocarbamate precursor route

Two hydrophilic branched oligo(ethylene glycol)-substituted PPV derivatives, poly(2,5-bis(1,3-bis(triethoxymethoxy)propan-2-yloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene) (BTEMP-PPV) and poly(2-methoxy-5-(1,3-bis(triethoxymethoxy)propan-2-yloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene) (MTEMP-PPV), are presented. Polymerizations have been performed via the dithiocarbamate precursor route, using lithium hexamethyldisilazide (LHMDS) as a base, to obtain high molecular weight precursor polymers. After thermal conversion of the precursor polymers into the fully conjugated systems, the solubility of the polymers has been examined. The polar nonionic side chains of MTEMP-PPV and BTEMP-PPV render the PPV backbone soluble in a variety of solvents, including alcohols and even water, making these polymers suitable candidates to be used in optoelectronic devices that can be processed from environmentally friendly solvent systems.