Synthesis and characterization of alternating fluorene–thiophene copolymers bearing ethylene glycol side-chains

Abstract  

New alternating fluorene–thiophene copolymers are introduced bearing polar ethylene glycol-carboxylate functionalities on the thiophene ring to achieve enhanced solubility in polar solvents. Suzuki polycondensation was applied to synthesize a set of three polymers with differing lengths of the ethylene glycol side-chains. The polymers are thermally stable up to temperatures of 300 °C. Solutions of the polymers in CHCl₃ show an absorption maximum at approximately 397 nm and a luminescence maximum of 472 nm in solutions with quantum yield of 30%. The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) levels have been determined to be at −5.7 and −2.6 eV, respectively.     

Synthesis and characterization of thiophene and fluorene based donor–acceptor conjugated polymer containing 1,3,4-oxadiazole units for light-emitting diodes

A new donor–acceptor (D–A) conjugated polymer (PDTOF) containing 3,4-didodecyloxythiophene, fluorene and 1,3,4-oxadiazole units is synthesized by using Wittig reaction methodology. The synthesized polymer is characterized by ¹H NMR, FTIR, GPC, and elemental analysis. The optical energy band gap of the polymer is found to be 2.42 eV as calculated from the onset absorption edge. The electrochemical studies of PDTOF reveal that, the HOMO and LUMO energy levels of the polymer are ?5.45 eV and ?3.58 eV, respectively. The polymer is thermally stable up to 320 °C. Polymer light-emitting diode devices are fabricated with a configuration of ITO/PEDOT: PSS/PDTOF/Al using PDTOF as the emissive layer. The electroluminescence (EL) spectrum of the device showed green emission with CIE coordinate values (0.34, 0.47). By current density–voltage characteristics, threshold voltage of the PLED device is found to be 6.5 V.     

Synthesis and properties of polyfluorene copolymers bearing thiophene and porphyrin

To search for more wider absorption and higher charge carriers mobilities materials of polymer solar cell, a series of soluble alternating polyfluorene copolymers were synthesized by palladium-catalyzed Suzuki coupling reaction. Their structures were determined by 1H NMR, IR and UV-vis. And their UV-vis absorption spectra indicated that they had strong absorption over 600 nm spectral range and nearly cover 400-700 nm visible region. The band gaps of copolymers calculated according to cyclic voltammetry （CV） were between 1.96 and 2.03 eV. Polymer：TiO2 bulk-heterojunction films were made from mixtures of polymer and titanium isopropoxide, a precursor for TiO2, via hydrolysis in air overnight. The photoluminescence at 380-800 nm of the blend film of PT-TPP20 （5 mg/mL）：Ti（OC3H7）4 （80 μL/mL） （20% volume fraction） was significantly quenched in the 50% Ti（OC3H7）4 blend film, indicating that rapid and efficient separation of photoinduced electron-hole pairs.     

Synthesis and characterization of porphyrin-terthiophene and oligothiophene π-conjugated copolymers for polymer solar cells

Two novel conjugated polymers with alternating main chain structures of zinc porphyrin-terthiophene (P-PTT) and zinc porphyrin-oligothiophene (P-POT) were synthesized by Stille reaction. The effect of different lengths of thiophene chains on the thermal, optical, electrochemical, and photovoltaic properties of the two copolymers were investigated in detail. P-PTT exhibited higher onset decomposition temperature (392 °C) and glass-transition temperature (152 °C) than those of P-POT. The introduction of thiophene units in the meso-aryl positions of porphyrin resulted in the red shift and broader absorption spectrum compared with zinc porphyrin (P_Zn) monomer both in chloroform solutions and on thin solid films. The electrochemical properties indicated that the energy levels of the polymers were suitable for efficient charge transfer and separation at the interface between the polymer donor and PCBM acceptor. The bulk heterojunction solar cells based on P-PTT and P-POT showed power conversion efficiencies up to 0.32% and 0.18%, respectively.     

Synthesis and photovoltaic properties of phthalocyanine end-capped copolymers with conjugated dithienylbenzothiadiazole–vinylene side chains

Two phthalocyanine end-capped copolymers with conjugated dithienylbenzothiadiazole–vinylene side chains, PHY1 and PHY2, have been synthesized according to the Stille–Coupling polymerization method. The structures, thermostability, optical and electrochemical properties of the copolymers were characterized via NMR, GPC, TGA, DSC, UV–vis, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry (CV), respectively. The two copolymers exhibit excellent film-forming ability and good thermostability in a wide temperature range. PHY1 and PHY2 end-capped with different phthalocyanines showed broad absorption bands ranging from the ultraviolet to the red/near-infrared (IR) region of the solar spectrum and deep HOMO energy levels. Bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells were fabricated based on PHY1 and PHY2 with [6,6]-phenyl-C₆₁-butyric acid methyl ester (PC₆₁BM) as the electron acceptor and showed power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of 1.56% and 1.26%, respectively, under the illumination of AM 1.5, 100 mW/100 cm².     

Synthesis of fluorescent fluorene–isoindole-containing mono- and oligomers

Novel fluorene–isoindole-containing light-emitting mono- and oligomers were prepared. The synthesis of the monomers N-(4-bromo-phenyl)-2-(7-bromo-9,9-diethylfluoren-2-yl)-isoindole-1-carboxamide, N-(7-bromo-9,9-dibutylfluoren-2-yl)-2-(7-bromo-9,9-dibutylfluoren-2-yl)-isoindole-1-carboxamide, and N-[7-bromo-9,9-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-fluoren-2-yl]-2-[7-bromo-9,9-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-fluoren-2-yl]-isoindole -1-carboxamide was carried out by a three-component reaction of ortho-phthalaldehyde with the corresponding amine and isocyanide partners. The Ni(0) mediated polymerization reactions of the obtained monomers gave the corresponding mixture of oligomers from two up to twelve repeat units. The optical properties were also studied and it was found that the phenylene-containing oligomer emitted green light in dichloromethane solution, while both difluorene-containing oligomers, under the same conditions, proved to be blue light-emitters with good quantum efficiency.     

DFT study of the electronic and charge transfer properties of perfluoroarene–thiophene oligomers

The ground state structures of 5,5″-diperfluorophenyl-2,2′:5′,2″:5″,2‴-quaterthiophene (1), 5,5′-bis{1-[4-(thien-2-yl)perfluorophenyl]}-2,2′-dithiophene (2), 4,4′-bis[5-(2,2′-dithiophenyl)]-perfluorobiphenyl (3), 5,5″-diperfluorophenyl-2,2′:5′,2″-tertthiophene (4), 5,5′-diperfluorophenyl-2,2′-dihiophene (5), and 5,5-diperfluorophenylthiophene (6) have been optimized at the B3LYP/6-31G(d), B3LYP/6-31G(d,p), PBE0/6-31G(d), and PBE0/6-31G(d,p) level of theories. The B3LYP/6-31+G(d) and PBE0/6-31+G(d) level of theories have been applied to investigate the absorption spectra. The PBE0 functional is good to predict the C–S bond lengths while the C–F bond lengths are good envisaged with B3LYP functional. The increment of thiophene rings between two perfluoroarene rings leads to red shift in absorption spectra. The electron affinities are energetically destabilized while energetic stabilization of the radical-cation increases by decreasing the thiophene rings from four to one. The perfluoroarene rings leads to enhance the electron injection.     

Interaction between zero-charged catanionic vesicles and PEO–PPO–PEO triblock copolymers

We investigate the interaction between zero-charged catanionic vesicles and PEO–PPO–PEO (poly(ethylene oxide–poly(propylene oxide)–poly(ethylene oxide)) triblock copolymers. The 25-mg mL^?1 aqueous solution of tetradecyltrimethylammonium laurate (TTAL) contains closely packed uni- and multi-lamellar vesicles and shows viscoelastic properties with a dominant elastic modulus (G′) over a viscous modulus (G″). When a small amount of F127 ((EO)₉₇(PO)₆₉(EO)₉₇) or F68 ((EO)₇₆(PO)₂₉(EO)₇₆) was added, an improvement of the viscoelasticity was observed at suitable polymer concentrations. Freeze–fracture transmission electron microscopy (FF-TEM) observations on an F68-containing system revealed interesting aggregate transition from vesicles to flexible tubules and back to vesicles. The improvement of the viscoelasticity of the vesicular solution containing F68 or F127 can be explained by the formation of tubule and polymer–vesicle associates, while no such phenomenon was noticed for P123 ((EO)₁₉(PO)₆₉(EO)₁₉) which has the highest propylene oxide (PO) content and the strongest ability to self-associate in aqueous solution. In all the cases, vesicles will be destroyed and phase separation can be observed at high polymer contents (>5-mg mL^?1).     

Electrochemical synthesis of stannane–silane and stannane–germane copolymers

Poly(dibutylstannylene-co-dibutylsilylene) and poly(dibutylstannylene-co-dibutylgermylene) were synthesized for the first time, by electrochemical reduction of dibutyldichlorostannane together with dibutyldichlorosilane and dibutyldichlorogermane, respectively, in a one-compartment cell equipped with a platinum cathode and a silver anode, using tetrabutylammonium perchlorate and 1,2-dimethoxyethane as the supporting electrolyte and the solvent, respectively. Most of absorption peaks observed for the copolymers were located between those of polystannylene and polysilylene/polygermylene. A copolymer with relatively high stannane content had a relatively long absorption peak, which is close to that of a homopolymer polydibutylstannylene. A copolymer with a higher stannane content was more sensitive to the moisture in air.     

Effect of furan π-bridge on the photovoltaic performance of D-A copolymers based on bi(alkylthio-thienyl)benzodithiophene and fluorobenzotriazole

The medium band gap donor-acceptor(D-A) copolymer J61 based on bi(alkylthio-thienyl)benzodithiophene as donor unit and fluorobenzotriazole as acceptor unit and thiophene as π-bridge has demonstrated excellent photovoltaic performance as donor material in nonfullerene polymer solar cells(PSCs) with narrow bandgap n-type organic semiconductor ITIC as acceptor.For studying the effect of π-bridges on the photovoltaic performance of the D-A copolymers,here we synthesized a new D-A copolymer J61-F based on the same donor and acceptor units as J61 but with furan π-bridges instead of thiophene.J61-F possesses a deeper the highest occupied molecular orbital(HOMO) level at-5.45 eV in comparison with that(-5.32 eV) of J61.The non-fullerene PSCs based on J61-F:ITIC exhibited a maximum power conversion efficiency(PCE) of 8.24%with a higher open-circuit voltage(V_(oc)) of 0.95 V,which is benefitted from the lower-lying HOMO energy level of J61-F donor material.The results indicate that main chain engineering by changing π-bridges is another effective way to tune the electronic energy levels of the conjugated D-A copolymers for the application as donor materials in non-fullerene PSCs.     

Fine-tuning the molecular energy levels by incorporating thiophene units onto the π-backbone of core-expanded naphthalene diimides

A series of core-expanded naphthalene diimides (NDI-DTYM) and thiophene-based derivatives (1a-c) were designed and synthesized to investigate the relationship between molecular structures and the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels but has little impact on the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy levels. The results demonstrated that increasing the number of thiophene units can gradually elevate the HOMO energy levels but had little impact on the LUMO energy levels. The n-channel organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) based on 1b and 1c have demonstrated that these almost unchanged LUMO energy levels are proper to transport electrons.     

An unsymmetrical behavior of reactant units in the Kolbe�CSchmitt reaction

Paths of the Kolbe?CSchmitt reaction were investigated by the use of RB3LYP/6-311(+)G(d,p) density functional theory calculations. In a monomer model composed of C₆H₅O^?, Na⁺ and CO₂ affording sodium salicylate [C₆H₄(OH)CO₂ ^?Na⁺], a proton-shift step (Z Naturforsch 57a:812, 2002) was found to have an unrealistically large activation energy. In consideration of the phenol volatilization in the Kolbe??s experiment and the need of the linearity of the proton-transfer path, a dimer model was constructed. Again, a mutual proton-transfer step has a large activation energy. Alternatively, in a dimer model, a transfer path where the phenoxide ion in one monomer acts as a proton acceptor was found to have a reasonable energy. Addition of one more sodium ion leads to the significant lowering of activation energies. Thus, in the dimer, two monomers behave differently (A?+?A????A?+?B); one is as if it were a catalyst.     

Biradical character of linear π-conjugated oligomer dications composed of thiophene, pyrrole, and methylthio end-capping units

Combined DFT calculations and UV-vis-NIR, ESR, and SQUID measurements revealed that the ground-state electronic structure of a linear π-conjugated oligomer dication composed of two pyrrole and six or seven thiophene rings and methylthio end-capping units is dominated by a singlet biradical character.     

Recent advances on the structure–properties relationship of multiblock copolymers

Multiblock copolymers represent a fascinating class of materials that sits at the very heart of industrial applications and fundamental polymer science. They are most often made of a linear succession of incompatible “soft” and “hard” segments that microphase separate at room temperature while they can be easily re-homogenized upon heating. This thermoreversible character provides them with decisive advantages with respect to other rubber-based materials such as vulcanized elastomers, making them indispensable for the development of a more sustainable polymer industry. Beyond practical opportunities, tailoring the multiblock copolymers morphology has a pivotal role to play in the fundamental understanding of the structure–properties relationship of polymer-based systems. It notably serves to comprehend complex materials such as semicrystalline homopolymers and nanocomposites. Aside from the thorough work developed on well-defined diblock copolymers for half a century, this article review aims to guide the reader into the more intricate world of multiblock copolymers by providing him/her quantitative tools to connect chemical nature, microstructure and mechanical properties.     

Electro organic synthesis and characterization of phenol–aniline based copolymers

A new series of copolymers of phenol and aniline poly(PHE-co-ANI) was synthesized at platinum electrode through electro-oxidative polymerization in acetonitrile in the presence of lithium perchlorate as supporting electrolyte. Electro-polymerization was studied by cyclic voltammetry. The resultant copolymers were characterized by UV–Vis, IR, ¹³C and ¹H NMR spectroscopy; surface morphology of the copolymers was investigated by scanning electron microscopy.     

Influence of amorphous block on the thermal behavior of well-defined block copolymers based on ε-caprolactone

In this work, we studied the thermal characterization of block copolymers based on ε-caprolactone. The copolymers were obtained by anionic polymerization techniques, using different co-monomers such as styrene (S) and dimethylsiloxane (DMS). Synthesized copolymers were characterized by H-nuclear magnetic resonance, size exclusion chromatography, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Isothermal crystallization was performed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Avrami’s theory was employed in order to obtain kinetics parameters of interest, such as the half-life for the crystallization process (t _1/2), the bulk crystallization constant (k), and the Avrami’s exponent (n). The spherulitic growth was measured by polarized optical microscopy in order to determine the crystallization behavior. Poly(ε-caprolactone) block (PCL) crystallization was analyzed by considering the physico-chemical characteristics of the neighboring block, PS or PDMS. The chemical nature of the neighbor block in the PCL-based copolymer affects the kinetics parameters of Avrami’s equation, as can be deduced by comparing the values obtained for pure PCL and the studied block copolymers. On the other hand, the apparent thermal degradation activation energies E _ad for PCL and block copolymers were determined by Ozawa’s method. The incorporation of PDMS instead of PS improves the stability of the resulting copolymer, as it was observed by thermogravimetric analysis.     

Rheology of linear and branched styrene–acrylonitrile copolymers. Similarities and differences

A comprehensive investigation of rheological properties of linear and branched styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer specimens with similar molecular characteristics has been carried out. During the steady-state shear flow, the viscosity properties of both specimens are described by the Cross equation. In this case, the branched copolymer is characterized by a higher viscosity and shear thinning degree as well as by substantially lower shear rate values corresponding to transition to the non-Newtonian flow region. The elasticity of the branched copolymer melt (estimated from the value of the first normal stress difference) is considerably higher than that of the linear. This is reflected on the characteristics of occurrence of unstable flow at high shear rates. Rougher extrudate surface distortions are characteristic for the branched copolymer, and the shear rate corresponding to their occurrence is noticeably lower than for the linear copolymer. The dynamic characteristics of the copolymers being compared also attest to a greater elasticity of the branched specimen. An investigation of the viscoelastic properties in a wide temperature range allowed constructing a generalized frequency dependence of dynamic moduli encompassing various regions of the relaxation states of the copolymer specimens. Continuous relaxation spectra were calculated by means of the Mellin transform. It is shown that relaxation phenomena caused by segmental mobility doesn’t depend on the presence of branchings, whereas branching of the chain has a substantial effect on translation mobility of the chain as a whole. Branching leads to a noticeable increase of transient elongation viscosity but has almost no effect of strain hardening of the melt.     

Gelation and yielding behavior of polymer–nanoparticle hydrogels

Polymer–nanoparticle hydrogels are a unique class of self-assembled, shear-thinning, yield-stress fluids that have demonstrated potential utility in many impactful applications. Here, we present a thorough analysis of the gelation and yielding behavior of these materials with respect to the polymer and nanoparticle component stoichiometry. Through comprehensive rheological and diffusion studies, we reveal insights into the structural dynamics of the polymer nanoparticle network that identify that stoichiometry plays a key role in gelation and yielding, ultimately enabling the development of hydrogel formulations with unique shear-thinning and yield-stress behaviors. Access to these materials opens new doors for interesting applications in a variety of fields including tissue engineering, drug delivery, and controlled solution viscosity.     

Thermochemical characteristics of chitosan–polylactide copolymers

The energies of combustion of chitosan and its block-copolymers with different polylactide contents are determined in a static bomb calorimeter. Standard enthalpies of combustion and formation are calculated for these substances. The dependences of the thermochemical characteristics on block-copolymer composition are determined and discussed.     

HPLC–MS determination of the oxidation products of the reaction between α- and β-pinene and OH radicals

Biogenic non-methane hydrocarbons such as isoprene, alpha-pinene, and beta-pinene, are emitted by forests in very large quantities. To evaluate the role of alpha- and beta-pinene and their contribution to the global production of trace gases and especially aerosol precursors, a study of the oxidation mechanism of alpha- and beta-pinene with hydroxyl radicals must be conducted.The degradation products of both monoterpenes with hydroxyl radicals were identified and quantified in a fast-flow reactor. The products were collected on a liquid-nitrogen trap coated with a 2,4-DNPH solution to which two internal standards (benzaldehyde-2,4-DNPH and tolualdehyde-2,4-DNPH) had been added. The collection method was based on the in situ conversion of aldehyde and/or ketone compounds to their 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone derivatives. The derivatives were analyzed by HPLC-MS using APCI(-). TIC chromatograms and mass spectral data for the various oxidation products are presented.For alpha-pinene, pinonaldehyde is the most important degradation product, with smaller amounts of acetone, formaldehyde, campholenealdehyde, and acetaldehyde. For beta-pinene, nopinone and formaldehyde are the most abundant products, of almost equal importance, whereas acetone and acetaldehyde are minor compounds.