As células solares poliméricas (PSCs) e diodos emissores de luz poliméricos (PLEDs) destacam-se dos seus análogos inorgânicos pela possibilidade de reduzir custo de fabricação, obtenção de dispositivos mais leves e flexíveis, maior liberdade no design e menor tempo de produção de dispositivos, devido à sua maior facilidade de processamento. Neste trabalho foram investigadas as mudanças nas propriedades fotofísicas, eletroquímicas e elétricas do poli[2,7-(9,9-dioctilfluoreno)-alt-4,7-bis(2,5-tiofeno)-2,1,3-benzotiadiazol] (PDBT) e seus derivados contendo grupos substituintes hexila no anel tiofeno. Este polímero conjugado é conhecido por seu potencial para aplicações em PSCs. Para tanto, três copolímeros, contendo diferentes concentrações de mero tiofeno substituído, foram sintetizados via reação de acoplamento de Suzuki. Usando técnicas adequadas, foram verificadas correlações entre o comportamento fotofísico, térmico e elétrico dos copolímeros e o teor de tiofeno substituído. Os materiais poliméricos sintetizados foram aplicados como camada ativa em PLEDs e PSCs. Em relação aos PLEDs, foi verificada baixa luminância e emissão de luz na faixa da cor laranja e cor verde. Além disso, diferentes efeitos, relacionados com a concentração de tiofeno substituído e as propriedades fotovoltaicas, foram identificados nas PSCs montadas. / Polymer Solar cells (PSCs) and polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) draw attention from their inorganic analogues for the possibility of manufacturing cost reduction, more light and flexible devices, as well as the greater design freedom and shorter production time devices due to its easier processing. In this work, we investigated the changes in the photophysical, electrochemical and electrical properties from poly[2,7-(9,9-dioctylfluorene)-alt-4,7-bis(2,5-thiophene)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole] (PDBT) that was caused by hexyl substituents introduction on the copolymer thiophene rings. This conjugated polymer system is known for its PSCs applications potential. Therefore, three copolymers, with different concentrations of substituted thiophene mere, were synthesized by Suzuki polycondensation. Using appropriate techniques, direct relationships were verified between the photophysical, thermal and electrical behavior from copolymers and substituted thiophene content. The synthesized polymeric materials were applied as active layer in PLEDs and PSCs. Regarding PLEDs, it was verified a low luminance and light emission in the range of orange and green colors. Furthermore, different effects, related to the substituted thiophene concentration and photovoltaic properties, were identified from mounted PSCs.

As células solares poliméricas (PSCs) e diodos emissores de luz poliméricos (PLEDs) destacam-se dos seus análogos inorgânicos pela possibilidade de reduzir custo de fabricação, obtenção de dispositivos mais leves e flexíveis, maior liberdade no design e menor tempo de produção de dispositivos, devido à sua maior facilidade de processamento. Neste trabalho foram investigadas as mudanças nas propriedades fotofísicas, eletroquímicas e elétricas do poli[2,7-(9,9-dioctilfluoreno)-alt-4,7-bis(2,5-tiofeno)-2,1,3-benzotiadiazol] (PDBT) e seus derivados contendo grupos substituintes hexila no anel tiofeno. Este polímero conjugado é conhecido por seu potencial para aplicações em PSCs. Para tanto, três copolímeros, contendo diferentes concentrações de mero tiofeno substituído, foram sintetizados via reação de acoplamento de Suzuki. Usando técnicas adequadas, foram verificadas correlações entre o comportamento fotofísico, térmico e elétrico dos copolímeros e o teor de tiofeno substituído. Os materiais poliméricos sintetizados foram aplicados como camada ativa em PLEDs e PSCs. Em relação aos PLEDs, foi verificada baixa luminância e emissão de luz na faixa da cor laranja e cor verde. Além disso, diferentes efeitos, relacionados com a concentração de tiofeno substituído e as propriedades fotovoltaicas, foram identificados nas PSCs montadas. / Polymer Solar cells (PSCs) and polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) draw attention from their inorganic analogues for the possibility of manufacturing cost reduction, more light and flexible devices, as well as the greater design freedom and shorter production time devices due to its easier processing. In this work, we investigated the changes in the photophysical, electrochemical and electrical properties from poly[2,7-(9,9-dioctylfluorene)-alt-4,7-bis(2,5-thiophene)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole] (PDBT) that was caused by hexyl substituents introduction on the copolymer thiophene rings. This conjugated polymer system is known for its PSCs applications potential. Therefore, three copolymers, with different concentrations of substituted thiophene mere, were synthesized by Suzuki polycondensation. Using appropriate techniques, direct relationships were verified between the photophysical, thermal and electrical behavior from copolymers and substituted thiophene content. The synthesized polymeric materials were applied as active layer in PLEDs and PSCs. Regarding PLEDs, it was verified a low luminance and light emission in the range of orange and green colors. Furthermore, different effects, related to the substituted thiophene concentration and photovoltaic properties, were identified from mounted PSCs.

In the field of electronic organic materials, conjugated polymers (CPs) have attracted much attention in recent years. It has been well-established that performances of thin-film devices based on π-conjugated polymers, such as light-emitting diodes, field-effect transistors and photovoltaic cells, are strongly dependent on the organisation of the polymer molecules and their interactions with other constituents in multicomponent devices. The use of CPs in integrated circuits, solar cells, light-emitting diodes or sensors often requires their covalent fixation and patterning on various surfaces. CPs can be grafted to functionalized surfaces by (electro)chemical cross-linking; however, it is difficult to control a structural order within the cross-linked films. The attachment of CP chains to substrates by their end-points to form polymer brushes would be an interesting alternative, and could possibly be crucial for many devices requiring charge injection and charge transport processes. The main aim of this work, which was the synthesis of covalently grafted conjugated polymer brushes on solid substrates using a "grafting from" approach, was successfully performed. During the course of this work, the process of surface-initiated polycondensation was investigated. The newly developed method to selectively graft conjugated polymers from different substrates such as Si-wafers, quartz slides or modificated nanoparticles allowed us to produce different architectures which were earlier possible to prepare only non-conductive polymers. Exposure of the substrate with an activated surface layer into the monomer solution produced polymer brushes in a very economical way. Since only monomer was consumed for grafting from the surface. The grafting process was extensively investigated by different methods, and the thickness of the obtained poly(fluorene) films was elucidated by Null-ellipsometry and confirmed by the AFM scratch-test. Preliminary characteristics of the device, based on PS(Br)-core poly(octylfluorene)-shell nanoparticles, showed satisfactory results (such as turn-on voltage and electroluminescence in a blue region). They could be improved by replacement of the insulating PS(Br)-core of nanoparticles with other substances (semiconductive, etc.). There is still plenty of room for further development and improvement of the synthesis of poly(fluorene)-based polymer brushes. The polymer structures developed in this work can be utilized as an active layer in lab-on-chip devices. Alkyl groups in the 9th position of the poly(fluorene) monomer unit can be replaced by tailored receptors to detect specific species including small molecules, metal ions and biomolecules due to enhanced sensitivity through sensory signal amplification. Post-polymerization modifications may lead to highly water-swellable conjugated polyelectrolyte brushes. Also, polymerization of initially optically active fluorene-monomers may be the crucial step to the generation of a light source devices with a large degree of circularly polarized electroluminescence. This is of great interest for utilization as backlight for liquid crystalline displays. We believe that the utilization of covalently surface-immobilized conjugated polymers may have a great impact on the development of present-day technological processes.

In the field of electronic organic materials, conjugated polymers (CPs) have attracted much attention in recent years. It has been well-established that performances of thin-film devices based on π-conjugated polymers, such as light-emitting diodes, field-effect transistors and photovoltaic cells, are strongly dependent on the organisation of the polymer molecules and their interactions with other constituents in multicomponent devices. The use of CPs in integrated circuits, solar cells, light-emitting diodes or sensors often requires their covalent fixation and patterning on various surfaces. CPs can be grafted to functionalized surfaces by (electro)chemical cross-linking; however, it is difficult to control a structural order within the cross-linked films. The attachment of CP chains to substrates by their end-points to form polymer brushes would be an interesting alternative, and could possibly be crucial for many devices requiring charge injection and charge transport processes. The main aim of this work, which was the synthesis of covalently grafted conjugated polymer brushes on solid substrates using a "grafting from" approach, was successfully performed. During the course of this work, the process of surface-initiated polycondensation was investigated. The newly developed method to selectively graft conjugated polymers from different substrates such as Si-wafers, quartz slides or modificated nanoparticles allowed us to produce different architectures which were earlier possible to prepare only non-conductive polymers. Exposure of the substrate with an activated surface layer into the monomer solution produced polymer brushes in a very economical way. Since only monomer was consumed for grafting from the surface. The grafting process was extensively investigated by different methods, and the thickness of the obtained poly(fluorene) films was elucidated by Null-ellipsometry and confirmed by the AFM scratch-test. Preliminary characteristics of the device, based on PS(Br)-core poly(octylfluorene)-shell nanoparticles, showed satisfactory results (such as turn-on voltage and electroluminescence in a blue region). They could be improved by replacement of the insulating PS(Br)-core of nanoparticles with other substances (semiconductive, etc.). There is still plenty of room for further development and improvement of the synthesis of poly(fluorene)-based polymer brushes. The polymer structures developed in this work can be utilized as an active layer in lab-on-chip devices. Alkyl groups in the 9th position of the poly(fluorene) monomer unit can be replaced by tailored receptors to detect specific species including small molecules, metal ions and biomolecules due to enhanced sensitivity through sensory signal amplification. Post-polymerization modifications may lead to highly water-swellable conjugated polyelectrolyte brushes. Also, polymerization of initially optically active fluorene-monomers may be the crucial step to the generation of a light source devices with a large degree of circularly polarized electroluminescence. This is of great interest for utilization as backlight for liquid crystalline displays. We believe that the utilization of covalently surface-immobilized conjugated polymers may have a great impact on the development of present-day technological processes.

Mass spectrometry was used to study two disparate transformations: in an applied project, the supposed degradation of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS); and in a fundamental study, the Suzuki-Miyaura (SM) reaction was investigated in detail. The first investigation revealed that published methods to degrade PFOS were ineffectual, with apparent decreases being associated with adsorption onto available surfaces. In the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction, a dynamic series of equilibria were observed, and there is no direct evidence of a single pathway. Instead, there appear to be two mechanisms which are active in different conditions (one fluoride, one aqueous). Studies were initiated into the related SM polycondensation reaction and the hydrolysis of aryltrifluoroborates, the former indicating a step-growth mechanism, and the latter indicating a dynamic series of equilibria which are very sensitive to experimental conditions. Processing and interpretation of mass spectrometric data was a significant part of all of these projects, so a python framework was developed to assist in these tasks and its features are also documented herein. / Graduate / 0488 / 0486 / larsy@uvic.ca