Advanced Functional Materials, Vol.23, No.47, 5875-5880, 2013
White-Emitting Conjugated Polymer/Inorganic Hybrid Spheres: Phenylethynyl and 2,6-Bis(pyrazolyl) pyridine Copolymer Coordinated to Eu(tta)(3)
The synthesis of two cyan color (blue and green emission) displaying high molecular weight 2,6-bis(pyrazolyl)pyridine-co-octylated phenylethynyl conjugated polymers (CPs) is presented. The conjugated polymers are solution-processed to prepare spin coated thin films and self-assembled nano/microscale spheres, exhibiting cyan color under UV. Additionally, the metal coordinating ability of the 2,6-bis(pyrazolyl)pyridine available on the surface of the CP films and spheres is exploited to prepare red emitting Eu(III) metal ion containing conjugated polymer (MCCP) layer. The fabricated hybrid (CP/MCCP) films and spheres exhibit bright white-light under UV exposure. The Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates are found to be (x = 0.33, y = 0.37) for hybrid films and (x = 0.30, y = 0.35) for hybrid spheres. These values are almost close to the designated CIE coordinates for ideal white-light color (x = 0.33, y = 0.33). This easy and efficient fabrication technique to generate white-color displaying films and nano/microspheres signify an important method in bottom-up nanotechnology of conjugated polymer based hybrid solid state assemblies.
Keywords:white emission;-conjugated polymers;polymer nanostructures;organic;inorganic hybrid spheres