Article (Scientific journals)
Light and oxygen induce chain scission of conjugated polymers in solution
Caubergh, Stéphane; Louis, Boris; Larsson, Per-Olof et al.
2017In Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 20, p. 1829-1837
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Keywords :
Conjugated polymer; Electronics; Photostability; Degradation; Kinetics; Gel Permeation Chromatography; UV-VIS; Fluorescence
Abstract :
[en] Conjugated polymers have been widely studied as flexible, versatile semiconductors in organic electronics. However, the material stability is one of the problems limiting their applications. Thus, understanding the degradation process of conjugated polymers is crucial. In this work, we monitored the chain scission of the model polymer MEH-PPV in solutions under different conditions by assessing its molecular weight using Gel permeation chromatography and optical spectral measurements. We showed that changes in the UV-VIS spectrum can be seen only when the degradation has already progressed substantially. Fluorescence spectrum was found to be almost totally insensitive to the degradation stage of the polymers. We demonstrate that chain scission in solutions happens even in the dark leading to a decrease of about 15% of the molecular weight after just one day of storage. If exposed to room-light, the chain length decreases about 10 times over one day of exposure. Using stronger light intensity or enriching the solution with oxygen accelerates the degradation process dramatically. The rate of the reaction follows approximately a square root dependence with light intensity and oxygen concentration. We conclude that some extent of polymer degradation is difficult to avoid in common laboratory practices since to prevent it one needs to work in oxygen free atmosphere in the dark. Preparation of polymer films from partially degraded solutions might lead not only to losing the connection between the molecular weight and the opto-electronic properties but also to unintentional doping of the semiconductor by products of chains scission reactions.
Disciplines :
Physics
Chemistry
Author, co-author :
Caubergh, Stéphane ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de chimie (sciences) > Chimie inorganique structurale
Louis, Boris;  KU Leuven > Department of Chemistry > Divison of Molecular Imaging and Photonics
Larsson, Per-Olof;  Lund University > Department of Chemistry > Pure and Applied Biochemistry
Tian, Yuxi;  Nanjing University > Department of Engineering > School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Scheblykin, Ivan G.;  Lund Univeristy > Department of Chemistry > Chemical Physics and NanoLund
Language :
English
Title :
Light and oxygen induce chain scission of conjugated polymers in solution
Publication date :
12 December 2017
Journal title :
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics
ISSN :
1463-9076
eISSN :
1463-9084
Publisher :
Royal Society of Chemistry, United Kingdom
Volume :
20
Pages :
1829-1837
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
European Projects :
H2020 - 654148 - LASERLAB-EUROPE - The Integrated Initiative of European Laser Research Infrastructures
Funders :
Sverige Vetenskapsrådet [SE]
KAW - Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelse [SE]
Craaford Foundation
Lund Laser Center
CE - Commission Européenne [BE]
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