Polyfluorene Homopolymers: Conjugated Liquid‐Crystalline Polymers for Bright Blue Emission and Polarized Electroluminescence

Since the first report on blue electroluminescence from a soluble poly(9,9‐di‐alkylfluorene), fluorene‐based homo‐ and copolymers have evolved as a major class of polymeric emitters for highly efficient organic light‐emitting diodes. This Review is concerned with the particular properties of soluble derivatives of polyfluorene homopolymers with respect to emission properties, control of color stability and efficiency in electroluminescence, alignment in thin layers and polarized emission. A major point of discussion is the origin of unwanted emission contributions in the photoluminescence and electroluminescence spectra of solid layers as well as concepts to avoid these contributions in order to ensure stable device performance. Further, the alignment of polyfluorenes and their use in polarized light‐emitting diodes is addressed.     

Plants to Polyelectrolytes: Theophylline Polymers and Their Microsphere Synthesis

To extend fossil oil supplies, sustainable feed stocks for the production of useful reagents and polymers should be harnessed. In this regard, chemicals derived from plants are excellent candidates. While the vast majority of plant sources used for polymer science only contain C _x H _y O _z , alkaloids such as caffeine, nicotine, and theophylline possess nitrogen functionality that can provide new functions for bioderived polymers and their synthesis. In this context, the chemistry of theophylline, a natural product found in chocolate and tea, is exploited to create a cationic “poly(theophylline)” in a straightforward fashion for the first time. This work demonstrates how this new polymer can be synthesized and used for the creation of narrowly disperse cationic microspheres.

     

Synthesis of PEDOT Nanoparticles and Vesicles by Dispersion Polymerization in Alcoholic Media

Summary: The synthesis of PEDOT nanoparticles and vesicles by dispersion polymerization in a methanol/water mixture (3/2, v/v) is reported, using either ammonium persulfate or iron(III) p‐toluenesulfonate as oxidants and α‐EDOT‐PEO as a reactive stabilizer. The influence of the oxidant as well as the α‐EDOT‐PEO molar mass and concentration on the core‐shell particle morphology and conductivity properties have been investigated. PEDOT particles with conductivities up to 1.5 × 10⁻² S · cm⁻¹ have been obtained in high yield.

TEM image of PEDOT vesicles prepared using PEO‐based stabilizers of 25 000 g · mol⁻¹ in water/methanol mixture (2:3 v/v) at room temperature using ammonium persulfate as an oxidant.     

Polyfluorenes containing tetraphenylthiophene segments: Synthesis,photophysics, and electroluminescence

2,5‐Bis(4‐bromophenyl)‐3,4‐diphenylthiophene was synthesized from benzyl chloride and sulfur and through the subsequent bromination of the intermediate 2,3,4,5‐tetraphenylthiophene. It was condensed with 2,7‐dibromo‐9,9‐dihexylfluorene via a nickel‐mediated Yamamoto coupling reaction to afford a new series of statistical copolymers with various compositions. In addition, poly(9,9‐dihexylfluorene) (PF) was synthesized under the same conditions for comparison. All the polymers were soluble in common organic solvents such as tetrahydrofuran (THF), chloroform, and dichloromethane. Their glass‐transition temperatures increased with an increase in the tetraphenylthiophene (TPT) content in the polymers, and they were 63–149 °C. The solutions of the polymers in THF emitted intense blue light with a photoluminescence maximum at 418–440 nm and quantum yields of 0.32–0.62. Thin films of the polymers with TPT fractions lower than 20 mol % emitted blue‐green light with two well‐resolved peaks at 445 and 520 nm and an optical band gap of about 2.85 eV. A thin film of the polymer with aTPT fraction of 50 mol % emitted pure blue light with a maximum at 419 nm and an optical band gap of 3.28 eV. An enhancement of the light‐emitting‐diode brightness by a factor of ～8 with respect to that of PF was achieved in apolymer containing 5 mol % TPT. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4015–4026, 2006     

A Poly(9‐Borafluorene) Homopolymer: An Electron‐Deficient Polyfluorene with “Turn‐On” Fluorescence Sensing of NH3 Vapor

A substituted poly(9‐borafluorene) (P9BF) homopolymer, a boron congener of polyfluorene, is prepared by Yamamoto coupling of a triisopropylphenyl substituted borafluorene (1). As predicted by prior density functional theory (DFT) studies, P9BF has a reduced optical bandgap (E_g,opt = 2.28 eV) and a significantly lowered LUMO level (−3.9 eV, estimated by cyclic voltammetry (CV)) compared to polyfluorene. In addition to binding fluoride in solution, films of P9BF exhibit a reversible, simultaneous turn‐off/turn‐on fluorescence response to NH₃ vapor. A 9‐borafluorene‐vinylene copolymer (P9BFV) is synthesized via Stille coupling, demonstrating that 1 can readily be incorporated into copolymers. The extended conjugation of P9BFV due to the inclusion of the vinylene group results in a reduced optical bandgap (2.12 eV) and LUMO (−4.0 eV, estimated by CV) compared to the homopolymer P9BF.

     

The Synthesis of Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Grafted with Fluorinated Protic Ionic Liquids Containing Sulfo Functional Groups

There has been an ongoing need to develop polymer materials with increased performance as proton exchange membranes (PEMs) for middle- and high-temperature fuel cells. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a highly hydrophilic and chemically stable polymer bearing hydroxyl groups, which can be further altered. Protic ionic liquids (proticILs) have been found to be an effective modifying polymer agent used as a proton carrier providing PEMs’ desirable proton conductivity at high temperatures and under anhydrous conditions. In this study, the novel synthesis route of PVA grafted with fluorinated protic ionic liquids bearing sulfo groups (–SO₃H) was elaborated. The polymer functionalization with fluorinated proticILs was achieved by the following approaches: (i) the PVA acylation and subsequent reaction with fluorinated sultones and (ii) free-radical polymerization reaction of vinyl acetate derivatives modified with 1-methylimidazole and sultones. These modifications resulted in the PVA being chemically modified with ionic liquids of protic character. The successfully grafted PVA has been characterized using ¹H, ¹⁹F, and ¹³C-NMR and FTIR-ATR. The presented synthesis route is a novel approach to PVA functionalization with imidazole-based fluorinated ionic liquids with sulfo groups.     

Crosslinked Poly(ionic liquid) Nanoparticles: Inner Structure,Size, and Morphology

In this contribution, we present the highly ordered inner structure of crosslinked poly(ionic liquid) nanoparticles. Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy revealed that they resembled centric multilamellar vesicles of different geometries, depending on the exact length of the quaternizing alkyl chains. The nanoparticle size was found to be sensitive to the polymerization conditions, such as the concentrations of monomers and crosslinking agents, the anion type and the externally added salt, but fairly inert to the polymerization temperature and the amount of initiator. The size expansion of the nanoparticles in different polymerization runs was found to be either isotropic or anisotropic via their linear attachment under certain polymerization conditions.     

Synthesis of Seven-Arm Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) Star Polymers with Lysozyme Core Prepared by MADIX/RAFT Polymerization

A poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) seven-arms star polymer with lysozyme core was synthesized by conjugating linear N-succinimidyl ester terminated PVP polymer to lysozyme. Reactive PVP polymers were synthesized using a MADIX/RAFT agent functionalized with N-succinimidyl ester. The polymerization of N-vinyl pyrrolidone proceeded in a living fashion up to more than 90% conversion reaching molecular weight of up to 33 000 g · mol⁻¹ with narrow molecular weight distributions. The PVP polymer was conjugated to lysozyme resulting in the attachment of seven PVP polymers to one lysozyme core. While the reaction was found to be complete when using low-molecular weight PVP, some by-products with less than seven arms were observed when using PVP with a molecular weight of 33 000 g · mol⁻¹.

     

In Situ Incorporation of Praziquantel in Polymer Microparticles through Suspension Polymerization for Treatment of Schistosomiasis

Schistosomiasis is one of the major public health problems worldwide. Even though this is a common illness among preschool children in poor countries, treatment is carried out mainly through the administration of praziquantel tablets, which has some disadvantages, such as the strong bitter taste. As an alternative to overcome this problem, the development of new encapsulated praziquantel formulations is demanded. For this reason, suspension polymerizations are carried out for the in situ encapsulation of praziquantel into polymer microparticles, using methyl methacrylate (MMA) and cationic compounds (diethylaminoethyl methacrylate, DEAEMA, and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, DMAEMA) as comonomers. This technique allows for the preparation of polymer microparticles with high encapsulation efficiencies (>90%) with characteristic sizes ranging from 0.5 to 1500 µm. Drug release profiles show that praziquantel is released from poly(methyl methacrylate) microparticles slowly due to the existence of strong diffusional resistance. On the other hand, the addition of cationic comonomers renders polymer particles sensitive to pH variations, allowing for faster release of praziquantel in acidic environments, as found in the stomach.     

Synthesis of Silver and Gold Nanoparticles by a Novel Electrochemical Method

Spherical silver and gold nanoparticles with narrow size distributions were conveniently synthesized in aqueous solution by a novel electrochemical method. The technological keys to the electrochemical synthesis of monodispersed metallic nanoparticles lie in the choice of an ideal stabilizer for the metallic nanoclusters and the use of a rotating platinum cathode. Poly(N‐vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) was chosen as the stabilizer for the silver and gold clusters. PVP not only protects metallic particles from agglomeration, but also promotes metal nucleation, which tends to produce small metal particles. Using a rotating platinum cathode effectively solves the technological difficulty of rapidly transferring the (electrochemically synthesized) metallic nanoparticles from the cathode vicinity to the bulk solution, avoiding the occurrence of flocculates in the vicinity of the cathode, and ensuring the monodispersity of the particles. The particle size and particle size distribution of the silver and gold nanoparticles were improved by adding sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) to the electrolyte. The electrochemically synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by TEM and UV/Vis spectroscopy.     

Morphological change of thermosensitive imidazolium‐based poly(ionic liquid)/poly(phenylethylmethacrylate) composite particles

Composite particles comprising poly(2‐phenylethyl methacrylate) (PPhEMA) and imidazolium‐based poly(ionic liquid)s were prepared by suspension polymerization of 1‐vinyl‐3‐ethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide as an ionic liquid monomer with dissolved PPhEMA. Not only PPhEMA exhibits lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior in 1‐vinyl‐3‐ethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide but also the polymer blend in the bulk state exhibited LCST behavior. However, the composite polymer particles obtained after polymerization at 70°C maintained a homogeneous inner structure after heat treatment as the polymerization temperature was greater than the LCST in this system due to the formation of a cross‐linked structure during polymerization. When the composite particles were prepared by suspension polymerization at 30°C, their inner morphology changed from homogeneous to phase separated during the subsequent heat treatment. Moreover, the morphology transformation of the composite particles was dependent on the PPhEMA molecular weight. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of biodegradable conjugated polymers with controlled backbone flexibility

A series of flexible, highly bright fluorescent poly(p‐phenyleneethynylene)s (PPEs) was prepared by employing a disulfide containing nonconjugated monomer at various ratios under Sonogashira reaction conditions. PPEs with flexible linkers exhibited fluorescence properties comparable to those of a fully conjugated PPE when less than 50% of flexible monomers were incorporated into the backbone. To evaluate the self‐assembly properties of PPEs, a series of conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs) was fabricated by treating PPEs with organic acids followed by dialysis. CPNs containing linkers exhibited different complexation behavior with polysaccharides, warranting further investigation into how flexibility and biodegradability of CPNs influence their cellular interaction and entry. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 1403–1412     

A novel type of optically active helical liquid crystalline polymers: Synthesis and characterization of poly(p‐phenylene)s containing terphenyl mesogen with different terminal groups

Series of poly(p‐phenylene)s (PPPs) containing terphenyl mesogenic pendants with cyano and methoxy terminal groups by flexible ? COO(CH₂)₆O? bridge [ P(CN) and P(OCH₃) ] are synthesized through Yamamoto polycondensation with Ni‐based complex catalysts. The effects of the structural variation on their properties, especially their mesomorphism, ultraviolet–visible (UV), and photoluminescence behaviors, are studied. All of the polymers are stable, losing little of their weights when heated to ≥340 °C. The polymers show good solubility and can be dissolved in common solvents. P(CN) with cyano terminal group shows enantiotropic SmA_d phase with bilayer packing arrangement, while P(OCH₃) with methoxy terminal group readily forms nematic and SmA_d phase when heated and cooled. Photoexcitation of their solutions induces strong blue light emission. Compared with P(OCH₃) , the light‐emitting bands of polymer P(CN) is slightly redshifted to 428 nm and the emission intensity of P(CN) is much stronger, due to the existence of donor–acceptor pairs. More interestingly, both of the polymers exhibit obvious Cotton effect on the CD spectra, resulting from the predominant screw sense of the backbone. This indicates that the bulky mesogenic pendant orientating around the backbone will force the main chain with helical conformation in the long region due to steric crowdedness. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 4723–4735, 2009     

Effect of a dipolar self-assembly monolayer formation on indium-tin oxide on the performance of single-layer polymer-based light-emitting diodes

We report on the use of indium-tin oxide surface modification, by grafting of highly polar p-disubstituted benzenes, in the fabrication of light-emitting diodes. The polar compounds possess COCl or SO₂Cl grafting groups and CF₃ or NO₂ as highly electronegative groups, leading to the formation of a dipolar monolayer, which brings about an increase in ITO work function, thereby reducing the barrier for hole injection into luminescent polymers. We observe that the effect of this self-assembled monolayer, in terms of light-onset voltage, efficiency and luminance, is at least comparable to the use of a hole injection layer of doped poly[(3,4-ethylenedioxy)thiophene] for LEDs using poly({2-[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]-5-methoxy-1,4-phenylene}vinylene) (MEH-PPV) and polyfluorene blends as active layers.     

Conjugated polyelectrolyte with pendant carboxylate groups: Synthesis,photophysics, and pH responses in the presence of surfactants

This article reports the synthesis, optical properties, and pH responses of a water‐soluble poly(phenylene ethynylene) with pendant carboxylate groups. This conjugated polyelectrolyte, PPE‐OBS, was prepared via a facile synthetic route, using 1,4‐di(ethyl 4‐oxy‐butyrate)‐2,5‐diiodo‐benzene as polymeric monomer and followed by the alkali induced saponification. PPE‐OBS absorbs strongly in the blue region and emits a moderately intense fluorescence. However, it subjects to unstable emission in neutral aqueous media, which is believed to arise because the polymer tends to become more hydrophobic via protonation and to form much heavier aggregates (clusters). Subsequent studies on the interaction and stabilization of PPE‐OBS with various surfactants indicate that its fluorescence stability can be largely improved in the presence of a small amount of surfactant. More interestingly, even at low pH, the surfactant‐stabilized polyelectrolyte with its pendant groups being ? COOH rather than ? COO^? remains water‐soluble and emits efficiently, which is expected of great significance for the covalent linkage to bio‐molecules. In addition, the sensitive pH response in emission spectrum of PPE‐OBS/surfactant complex over a relatively wide range suggests surely a potential access to the fluorescent sensing of pH variation. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 3056–3065, 2009     

Polymerization of 1-ethynylcyclohexene by tungsten and molybdenum-based catalysts

1-Ethynylcyclohexene, an acetylene derivative having cyclohexenyl substituent, was polymerized by various W- and Mo-based catalysts. WCl₆-EtAlCl₂ catalyst system was found to be very effective for this polymerization. The effects of the monomer-to-catalyst mol ratio, the initial monomer concentration, the temperature, and the cocatalysts for the polymerization of 1-ethynylcyclohexene by WCl₆ were investigated. The catalytic activity of Mo-based catalysts was found to be similar to that of W-based catalysts. The polymer structure was identified to have a conjugated polymer backbone carrying a cyclohexenyl substituent. The resulting polymers were light-brown powder and completely soluble in aromatic and halogenated hydrocarbon solvents such as chlorobenzene, benzene, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, etc. Studies of the thermal properties and morphology of poly(1-ethynylcyclohexene) were also carried out. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and characterization of electrophosphorescent jacketed conjugated polymers

A monomer containing bent side chains with oxadiazole unit was synthesized. And it was copolymerized with polyfluorene at different ratios. The photophysical and electrochemical properties of the copolymers were characterized. The results show that the introduction of the oxidiazole‐containing side chains into the polymer reduces the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital level. And the steric hindrance of the side groups can effectively suppress the aggregation of the polymer backbones. Electroluminescent devices were fabricated with a configuration of indium tin oxide (ITO)/poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT):PSS/Sample/Ca/Al. All of the devices emit blue light. The device of the copolymer PFOXD50 shows the best performance with the maximum luminance of 1033 cd/m² and the maximum current efficiency of 0.29 cd/A. Then a cyclometalated iridium complex monomer (ppy)₂Ir(BrPhPyBr) was copolymerized with PFOXD50 at different ratios. The devices with the same configuration emit orange light. The efficiency generally increases with the increasing Ir content. Among them, the device of the copolymer PFOXDIr7 shows the best performance with the maximum luminance of 846 cd/m² and the maximum current efficiency of 0.61 cd/A. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Synthesis of Bis(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-toluene-2, 4-diurethane for Main Chain Liquid Crystalline Poly(urethane-ester)s

Intr0ducti0nLiquidcrystallinepoIyurethaneshaveattractedconsiderableinterestsinceIimura1andhiscoworkersobtainedtheminl98l.M0stofthep0lyurethanesthathaveappearedinliteraturewerebasedonasinglemes0gen(diisocyanateordiol),whichhadbeenreactedwith0nec0unterpart(di0l0rdiisocyanate)togiveap0lyurethane.Inprevi0usinvestigations'-',compoundsusedasmesogensallhadcompletemesogeniccores,whethertheyhadliquidcrystalpropertiesornot.Thisimpliesthatthemes0geniccoresexistedbeforetheformationoftheurethanegroupsorth…