Improving the spectral stability of poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO) through the use of aromatic ethers

• Author / Creator

  Sirtonski, Matthew R.

• Aromatic ethers (AEs) have been combined with poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO) to improve spectral stability in PFO systems. Compared to neat PFO, PFO/AE blends were found to have decreased ‘g-bands’ following heating in air. Some were further found to induce and maintain β-phase emission. The PFO/polyphenyl ether (PPE) blend was incorporated into polymer-light emitting diodes exibiting blue electroluminescence and good efficiences.
  A new AE monomer (bis(4-bromophenoxy) benzene) was synthesized via iron-mediated nucleophilic aromatic substitution. Random AE/PFO copolymers were synthesized via Yamamoto (PAEFO), and Suzuki-Miyaura (PAEFO-S) cross-couplings of bis(4-bromophenoxy) benzene and 2,7-dibromo-9,9-dioctylfluorene (DOF). Another random AE/PF copolymer (PAEFO-2) was synthesized from bis(4-bromophenyl) ether and DOF via Yamamoto cross-coupling. Increasing the AE content in these polymers was found to decrease the ‘g-band’ and no phase changes were evidenced.
  The results show PFOs spectral stability can be improved by both blending and copolymerizing with AEs.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Polyfluorene

• Graduation date

  Spring 2011

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3J30V

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.