Este trabalho descreve as propriedades fotofísicas (espectros de excitação e de fluorescência, rendimento quântico e tempo de meia-vida de fluorescência) do poli(2,7-9,9'diexil-fluoreno-diil) em soluções diluídas, de quatro solventes (tolueno, tetraidrofurano, clorofórmio e acetato de etila) e no estado sólido. Os espectros de fotoluminescência são característicos da conformação desordenada da cadeia principal, denominada forma α. Espectros eletrônicos de absorção foram simulados para oligômeros de 1 a 11 meros, indicando que o comprimento crítico de conjugação está entre 6 e 7 meros. Os valores teóricos do momento de dipolo mostraram que a conformação helicoidal formada se repete a cada 8 unidades por volta. Mostra-se ainda que no estado sólido ocorrem processos de transferência de energia que levam a uma diminuição do tempo de meia-vida de fluorescência. Com base nos espectros obtidos, pode-se concluir que a fotoluminescência e a eletroluminescência descrita na literatura são provenientes das mesmas unidades emissoras.This work reports the photophysical properties (excitation and fluorescence spectra, fluorescence quantum yield, fluorescence lifetimes) of the poly(2,7-9,9'-dihexylfluorene-dyil) in dilute solutions of four solvents (toluene, tetrahydrofuran, chloroform and ethyl acetate) as well as the properties in solid state. Photoluminescence showed spectra characteristic of disordered α-backbone chain conformation. Simulation of the electronic absorption spectra of oligomers containing 1 to 11 mers showed that the critical conjugation length is between 6 and 7 mers. We also estimated the theoretical dipole moments which indicated that a coil conformation is formed with 8 repeating units per turn. We also showed that some energy transfer process appears in solid state which decreases the emission lifetime. Furthermore, based on luminescent response of the systems herein studied and electroluminescent behavior reported on literature, both photo and electroluminescence emissions arise from the same emissive units.Keywords: polyfluorene, photophysical properties, quantum mechanical calculation, photoluminescence
IntroductionPolyfluorene and derivates form a class of conjugated polymers whose photoluminescence emission is strongly dependent on their chemical structure ranging from the violet to red.1-8 Several of them are also electroluminescent materials.1,4-9 The backbone of fluorene-based polymers contains a rigidly planar biphenyl structure which can be functionalized in the C-9 position to enhance the polymer solubility. Nevertheless, this substitution at C-9 induces minor steric effects in the adjacent aromatic rings, 10 leading, in general, to small geometrical disturbance. It is also well known that some polyfluorenes in solid state may form liquid-crystalline phases, with high ordered crystalline phases with thermotropic phase transition from 100 to 170 °C.11 Moreover, the polymer chain may be organized in the solid state undergoing phase structure with different spectral properties: more ordered α-pha...