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New symmetrical arylene bisimide derivatives formed by using electron-donating–electron-accepting systems were synthesized. They consist of a phthalic diimide or naphthalenediimide core and imine linkages and are end-capped with thiophene, bithiophene, and (ethylenedioxy)thiophene units. Moreover, polymers were obtained from a new diamine, N,N′-bis(5-aminonaphthalenyl)naphthalene-1,4,5,8-dicarboximide and 2,5-thiophenedicarboxaldehyde or 2,2′-bithiophene-5,5′-dicarboxaldehyde. The prepared azomethine diimides exhibited glass-forming properties. The obtained compounds emitted blue light with the emission maximum at 470 nm. The value of the absorption coefficient was determined as a function of the photon energy using spectroscopic ellipsometry. All compounds are electrochemically active and undergo reversible electrochemical reduction and irreversible oxidation processes as was found in cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) studies. They exhibited a low electrochemically (DPV) calculated energy band gap (Eg) from 1.14 to 1.70 eV. The highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital levels and Eg were additionally calculated theoretically by density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level. The photovoltaic properties of two model compounds as the active layer in organic solar cells in the configuration indium tin oxide/poly(3,4-(ethylenedioxy)thiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)/active layer/Al under an illumination of 1.3 mW/cm2 were studied. The device comprising poly(3-hexylthiophene) with the compound end-capped with bithiophene rings showed the highest value of Voc (above 1 V). The conversion efficiency of the fabricated solar cell was in the range of 0.69–0.90%.

Homo‐ and copolymers of 4‐fluorostyrene (FSt) and styrene (St) were synthesized with different feed ratios using free radical bulk polymerization with azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator. It yielded series of (co)polymers with various amounts of included FSt, P(St‐co‐FSt) (5–50 mol%) and PFSt. The effect of the initiator concentration on the molecular weights of the homopolymers, that is, PSt and PFSt was investigated. Copolymer compositions were determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The relative reactivity ratios of both comonomers were determined by applying the conventional linearization methods of Jaacks (J), Finemann–Ross (F–R), inverted Finemann–Ross (IF–R), and Kelen‐Tüdos (K–T). The reactivity ratios values of St and FSt obtained from J plot are 1.06 and 0.84, F–R plot are 1.18 and 1.06, IF–R 1.01 and 0.86, and K–T plot 1.04 and 0.88, respectively. Thermal properties of prepared (co)polymers, that is, glass transition temperature (Tg) and thermal stability, were determined from differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetrical measurements. The lack of significant influence of FSt comonomer content on Tg of (co)polymers was observed. Additionally, the thermal degradation kinetics of obtained PSt and PFSt was studied by thermogravimetric analysis. Kinetic parameters such as the thermal decomposition activation energy (E) and frequency factor (A) were estimated by Ozawa model [E(O) and A(O), respectively] and Kissinger model [E(K) and A(K), respectively]. The activation energy and the frequency factor of PFSt (253 kJ/mol) were higher than PSt (236 kJ/mol). The resulting activation energies estimated using the two methods were quite close. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:1170–1181, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers

Chemical modification based on incorporation of flame retardants into polymer backbones was used in order to reduce flammability of polystyrene (PSt). The halogeno-substituted styrenes: 4-chlorostyrene (ClSt), 4-bromostyrene (BrSt) and 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorostyrene (5FSt) were applied as reactive flame retardants. Homo-and copolymers of these halogeno-substituted styrenes and styrene (St) were synthesized with various feed ratios using free radical bulk polymerization with azobisisobutyronitrile as a initiator. This yielded series of (co)polymers with various amounts of included ClSt, BrSt and 5FSt (5-50 mol% of modified St). Copolymer compositions were determined using 1 H NMR spectroscopy. The relative reactivity ratios of the used comonomers were determined by applying conventional linearization methods. The Jaacks (J) method was used for systems including BrSt and ClSt monomers whereas the Fineman-Ross method was additionally used to confirm the values of reactivity ratios of St-5FSt. The reactivity ratios of comonomer pairs obtained from J plots were 0.75 and 0.38 (St-ClSt), 1.65 and 0.46 (St-BrSt), 0.44 and 0.42 (St-5FSt). Glass transition temperature and thermal stability of obtained (co)polymers were determined using differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. The thermal degradation kinetic of PSt, PClSt, PBrSt and P5FSt was studied applying TGA. Kinetic parameters such as thermal decomposition activation energy (E) and frequency factor (A) were estimated using Ozawa and Kissinger models. The resulting activation energies estimated using these two methods were quite close. The values of activation energy (kJ mol −1 ) increased in the following order: PClSt (E(O) = 216.1) < PSt (E(O) = 219.9) < PBrSt (E(O) = 224.7) < P5FSt (E(O) = 330.9). A pyrolysis combustion flow calorimeter was applied as a tool for assessing the flammability of the synthesized (co)polymers.