No description available.

Frankfurt (Main), University, Diss., 2001.

By means of molecular simulation, we propose possible packing models for £\ and £\¡¬ phases in poly(9,9-di-n-hexyl-2,7-fluorene) (PFH). Simulated multi-chain unit cell structures are compared with experimental diffraction patterns of PFH where the unit cell structure (and the space group) of the high-temperature £\ crystals was identified as monoclinic (C2) and that of £\¡¬ phase (kinetically favored upon programmed cooling) triclinic (P1). Results show that £\ phase prefers to adopt bi-radial side-chain conformation whereas the £\¡¬ phase prefers tetra-radial one. Both models exhibit embracing behavior between adjacent chains in spite of differences in inter-chain distance. A group of embracing chains aligned along b-axis in £\ phase and the comparatively greater inter-chain distance in £\¡¬ phase are consistent with the observed faceting along (100) planes and the tensile cracking along the a-axis. A qualitative analysis of co-existing £\ and £\¡¬ phases reproduce the [001] SAED pattern quite well. In addition, we also show that arbitrary alternation of 40o and 140o in dihedral angle between neighboring monomers generates equally stable single-chain conformations in this case of linear alkyl side-chains.

This thesis describes the use of charge modulation spectroscopy to investigate the negative and positive charge-induced absorptions in conjugated semiconducting polymers as a way to experimentally compare the wavefunctions of electrons and holes. Interactions between light and charges including fluorescence quenching and photocurrent are also explored. Conjugated polymers have an electronic structure with an energy gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO). In the neutral ground state, there are no optical transitions at photon energies lower than this gap. When an excess charge is added to a conjugated polymer, the charge couples with a local structural reorganisation forming a localised entity known as a polaron. The polaron has two new electronic states within the energy gap symmetrically spaced about the midgap energy. Typically two new optical transitions between the polaronic states are allowed and can be accessed with sub gap energies. In order to probe the sub gap polaron absorptions charges can be added by electrical injection. Electrical injection in a transistor configuration provides a controlled way to measure the absorption of a known number of charges in the solid state and without triplet or singlet absorptions complicating the spectra as observed in photo-induced absorption. By taking advantage of recently developed ambipolar transistors where both holes and electrons can be accumulated in the same device a comparison can be made between the negative and positive polaron wavefunctions. Two polyfluorene polymers were chosen as examples where quantum chemical calculations predict either the same or different wavefunctions for the electron and hole. Poly(9,9-di-n-octylfluorene) (F8) is a hydrocarbon-only polymer which is expected to have similar electron and hole wavefunctions, whereas the related co-polymer, poly(9,9-di-n-octylfluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole) (F8BT) is expected to have an electron wavefunction that is more localized that the hole. The ambipolar transistors used in this thesis are typified by a dominant contact resistance which introduces difficulties in the charge modulation spectroscopy experiment. New techniques for simultaneous electrical and optical characterisation are developed and new device structures and fabrication processes are introduced in order to overcome a number of artifacts and improve the accuracy of the measurement allowing quantitative comparisons to be made. The increase in transistor or diode current with energy gap illumination and the quenching of fluorescence in the presence of charges is also investigated and a new method for imaging charge trapping and device operation in transistors with luminescent semiconductors is introduced.

Polyfluorenes are polymers with outstanding properties: They are semi-conducting, relatively rigid, quite stable chemically and thermally, easily substituted and therefore potentially soluble in numerous solvents and more importantly, they exhibit blue electro- and photoluminescence. For all these reasons, these polymers are the subjects of numerous academic and industrial researches. The first subject of this work deal with the design, the synthesis and the characterisation of polyfluorenes end-capped with perylene dicarboximide derivatives. These perylene moieties are able to interact by energy transfer under specific conditions of illumination, proximity and orientation. Their observation by single molecule spectroscopy permitted therefore to gain valuable information concerning the three-dimensional folding of single polyfluorene chains. To complete this study, the synthesis and characterisation of a perylene end-capped trimer of fluorene was performed. This structure being monodisperse, a finer analysis of the energy-transfer occurring between both perylene dyes could be accomplished, which confirmed the structural hypothesis made for the polymer. During these studies, it has been observed that, in addition to the energy transfer occurring between both perylene derivatives, another energy transfer occurs between the polyfluorene backbone and the perylene derivatives upon excitation of the first. This led to the idea of the synthesis of a polyfluorene bearing perylenes dicarboximide as side chains. This perylene-rich polyfluorene has been used to build a photovoltaic cell efficient in the wavelengths of both polyfluorene absorption and perylene carboximide absorption. Another subject of this work was the design, synthesis and characterisation of polyfluorenes bearing bulky phenoxy groups as side-chains. These polymers, due to their lower tendency toward aggregation, exhibited a better stability of their emission colour upon annealing. Similarly, a series of homo- and copolymers of fluorene bearing bulky and hole accepting triphenylamine substituants was synthesised and characterised. In addition to their improved colour stability in comparison with dialkylpolyfluorenes, the LEDs build with these materials exhibited a very low turn on voltage.

Neste trabalho foram estudados os processos de migração e transferência de energia em derivados de polifluoreno, de estrutura totalmente conjugada e de conjugação confinada. A dinâmica de estado excitado dos derivados PF-BNI, PFOPPV e PFPPV foi estudada em solução diluída de diferentes solventes através de espectroscopia eletrônica de alta resolução temporal. O derivado PF-BNI, contendo N-(2-benzotiazol)-1,8-naftalimida (BNI) como terminador da cadeia de poli(9,9\'dioctilfluoreno), foi sintetizado pela rota de Yamamoto. O material apresenta alto rendimento quântico de fluorescência e suas propriedades de emissão são moduladas pela polaridade do solvente. As medidas de fluorescência resolvida no tempo mostraram a migração do exciton singlete ao longo da cadeia polimérica e a formação de um estado excitado de transferência de carga intracadeia (ICCT). Os derivados PFOPPV e PFPPV são copolímeros de fluoreno contendo unidades fluoreno-vinileno-fenileno no segmento cromofórico. No PFOPPV o segmento cromofórico é confinado entre segmentos alifáticos (-(CH2)8-) flexíveis, no PFPPV a cadeia principal é totalmente conjugada. A dinâmica de estado excitado dos derivados, PFOPPV e PFPPV, é caracterizada pela presença de segmentos cromofóricos contendo isômeros cis e trans. No PFOPPV, a sua estrutura segmentada permite a transferência de energia entre os segmentos cromofóricos, via interações dipolo-dipolo. A transferência acarreta a depolarização da emissão de fluorescência. No caso do PFPPV a migração de energia ocorre em menos de 20 ps e o decaimento de fluorescência decorre da emissão de segmentos contendo isômeros cis e trans, já na condição estacionária. / This work reports the study of energy transfer and migration processes in fully conjugated and segmented polyfluorene derivatives. The excited-state dynamics of the derivatives, PF-BNI, PFOPPV and PFPPV was studied in diluted solution of different solvents by means of ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopy. Poly(9,9\'-dioctylfluorene) end-capped with N-(2-benzothiazole)-1,8-naphthalimide, named PF-BNI, was prepared via Yamamoto-coupling reaction. This derivative is a highly fluorescence material with emission modulated by solvent polarity. Time-resolved fluorescence measurements showed the singlet exciton migration through the polymer backbone and the formation of an intrachain charge transfer excited-state (ICCT). PFOPPV and PFPPV are both fluorene copolymers containing fluorene-vinylene-phenylene moieties in the backbone. Whereas the PFPPV backbone is fully conjugated, the chromophore segment in PFOPPV backbone is confined between aliphatic (-(CH2)8-) flexible segments. The excited-state dynamics of both copolymers is characterized by the presence of conjugated moieties containing cis and trans isomers. The segmented structure of PFOPPV allows the resonant energy transfer between the chromophores, which is provided by dipole-dipole interactions. The energy transfer process leads to the depolarization of PFOPPV fluorescence emission. For PFPPV the energy migration occurs in less than 20 ps and the fluorescence decay is ascribed to the emission of chromophore segments containing cis and trans, already in a photostationary condition.

Im Fokus dieser Arbeit standen (6,5)-SWNT-PFO-BPy-Komplexe als Vertreter für polyfluorenstabilisierte, einwandige Kohlenstoffnanoröhren. In einem ersten Projekt wurden präparative Verfahren zur Dispergierung und Abscheidung dieser Proben weiterentwickelt. Es ist gelungen, die Ansatzgröße von 15 mL auf 200 mL hochzuskalieren sowie dünne SWNT-Filme über Rotationsbeschichtung herzustellen. Des Weiteren wurde die lichtinduzierte Dynamik in halbleitenden SWNTs von der ps- bis zur µs-Zeitskala untersucht. Hier wurde ein umfassendes Bild zur Singulett- und Triplett-Exzitonendynamik in halbleitenden Kohlenstoffnanoröhren gezeichnet, welches maßgeblich durch diffusionslimitierte Prozesse geprägt ist. Abschließend wurde eine Methode vorgestellt, mit der sich Informationen zur Struktur von SWNT-Polymer-Komplexen und anderen supramolekularen Systemen gewinnen lassen. Diese basiert auf der Kombination von polarisationswinkelaufgelöster Absorptionsspektroskopie an anisotropen Proben und globaler Datenanalyse. / This work’s focus was set on (6,5)-SWNT-PFO-BPy complexes as representatives for polyfluorene-stabilized single-wall carbon nanotubes. As a first project, preparative methods for dispersion and deposition of these samples were refined. The batch size was successfully scaled up from 15 mL to 200 mL and thin SWNT-films were prepared by spin coating. Furthermore, light-induced dynamics from the ps to the µs time scale were investigated in semiconducting SWNTs. Here, a comprehensive picture of the singlet and triplet exciton dynamics in semiconducting SWNTs was provided, which is significantly affected by diffusion-limited processes. Finally, a method providing information about the structure of SWNT-polymer complexes and other supramolecular system was introduced. It is based on a combination of polarization angle-resolved absorption spectroscopy of anisotropic samples and global data analysis.

Neste trabalho foram estudados os processos de migração e transferência de energia em derivados de polifluoreno, de estrutura totalmente conjugada e de conjugação confinada. A dinâmica de estado excitado dos derivados PF-BNI, PFOPPV e PFPPV foi estudada em solução diluída de diferentes solventes através de espectroscopia eletrônica de alta resolução temporal. O derivado PF-BNI, contendo N-(2-benzotiazol)-1,8-naftalimida (BNI) como terminador da cadeia de poli(9,9\'dioctilfluoreno), foi sintetizado pela rota de Yamamoto. O material apresenta alto rendimento quântico de fluorescência e suas propriedades de emissão são moduladas pela polaridade do solvente. As medidas de fluorescência resolvida no tempo mostraram a migração do exciton singlete ao longo da cadeia polimérica e a formação de um estado excitado de transferência de carga intracadeia (ICCT). Os derivados PFOPPV e PFPPV são copolímeros de fluoreno contendo unidades fluoreno-vinileno-fenileno no segmento cromofórico. No PFOPPV o segmento cromofórico é confinado entre segmentos alifáticos (-(CH2)8-) flexíveis, no PFPPV a cadeia principal é totalmente conjugada. A dinâmica de estado excitado dos derivados, PFOPPV e PFPPV, é caracterizada pela presença de segmentos cromofóricos contendo isômeros cis e trans. No PFOPPV, a sua estrutura segmentada permite a transferência de energia entre os segmentos cromofóricos, via interações dipolo-dipolo. A transferência acarreta a depolarização da emissão de fluorescência. No caso do PFPPV a migração de energia ocorre em menos de 20 ps e o decaimento de fluorescência decorre da emissão de segmentos contendo isômeros cis e trans, já na condição estacionária. / This work reports the study of energy transfer and migration processes in fully conjugated and segmented polyfluorene derivatives. The excited-state dynamics of the derivatives, PF-BNI, PFOPPV and PFPPV was studied in diluted solution of different solvents by means of ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopy. Poly(9,9\'-dioctylfluorene) end-capped with N-(2-benzothiazole)-1,8-naphthalimide, named PF-BNI, was prepared via Yamamoto-coupling reaction. This derivative is a highly fluorescence material with emission modulated by solvent polarity. Time-resolved fluorescence measurements showed the singlet exciton migration through the polymer backbone and the formation of an intrachain charge transfer excited-state (ICCT). PFOPPV and PFPPV are both fluorene copolymers containing fluorene-vinylene-phenylene moieties in the backbone. Whereas the PFPPV backbone is fully conjugated, the chromophore segment in PFOPPV backbone is confined between aliphatic (-(CH2)8-) flexible segments. The excited-state dynamics of both copolymers is characterized by the presence of conjugated moieties containing cis and trans isomers. The segmented structure of PFOPPV allows the resonant energy transfer between the chromophores, which is provided by dipole-dipole interactions. The energy transfer process leads to the depolarization of PFOPPV fluorescence emission. For PFPPV the energy migration occurs in less than 20 ps and the fluorescence decay is ascribed to the emission of chromophore segments containing cis and trans, already in a photostationary condition.

This Thesis is devoted to synthesis and characterization of conjugated polymers of three types: (i) copolymers of fluorene-based units with comonomers derived from benzene, anthracene and diphenyloxadiazole; (ii) copolymers combining new thiophene monomers carrying oxadiazole and triazole moieties with various comonomers. Copolymers are designed with the respect to the tuning the optical properties and an improvement in charge transport properties; (iii) polythiophene based polyelectrolytes of two types and the basic characterization of selected physical and optical properties is reported as well as a study of interactions with noble metal nanoparticles. An incorporation of oxadiazole side groups into the fluorene copolymers was followed by the substantial increase in the stability of emission (photoluminescence). Another increase in the emission stability was achieved by the substitution of alkyl side groups on fluorene for the aryl counterparts. Such a change resulted in almost complete suppression of the undesired green emission. Further method was the incorporation of anthracene monomeric units into the main chains which resulted in the best stabilization of emission. An experiment was also made in order to shed some light on the explanation of the mechanism of emission stabilization caused by...

The molecular identity of the green emission of polyfluorene is investigated in the view point of the molecular interactions between modeled segments. The semi-empirical quantum methods, ZINDO/S and AM1 (AM1-CIS), are used in combination to provide reasonable explanations for experimental spectroscopic properties of monodisperse fluorene oligomers and fluorene oligomers with a central keto defect in dilute solutions. Applying the same method, the molecular interactions between model segments are found to exist and are significant. However, the spectroscopic property change from the molecular interactions is negligible. In addition, the effects of mechanical stress and multi-defects on fluorene oligomers are investigated. On the other hand, the redox mechanisms proposed for the oxidation of an amphiphilic cyanine (C8S3) J-aggregates immobilized at ITO electrode and the subsequent dehydrogenated dimmer formation during cyclic voltammetry based on analysis of absorption spectra during the process are verified with the combined semi-empirical quantum methods similar to the previous methods. The absorption spectra assigned by experiment for electrochemical species involved in the proposed mechanism show reasonable match to the theoretically estimated absorption energies of the corresponding simplified model systems. In addition, the standard reduction potentials of the fairly large molecules, C8S3 monomer and its dehydrogenated dimer, are pursued with quantum mechanical calculations. The free energy difference between the oxidized and reduced states of the target systems is decomposed to electronic energy, solvation energy and temperature-dependent free energies terms. Based on AM1 ground state geometries and with the corresponding temperature dependent free energies, the electronic energies and the solvation energies are each evaluated by two different methods. The electronic energies are calculated with AM1 method and DFT calculation and, also, the solvation energies are obtained based on the atomic partial charges from AM1 and DFT wavefunctions with continuum dielectric solvent approximation. The four calculation schemes from the combinations of the electronic and solvation energy estimation methods are tested with the redox compounds with various molecular weights and the estimations are compared with the corresponding experimental redox potentials. The relative redox potentials between two different redox systems are found to be reasonably estimated with the four calculation schemes. / text