The
effect of solvent on the bulky polydiarylfluorene poly[4-(n-alkoxy)-9,9-diphenylfluoren-2,7-diyl]-co-[5-(n-alkoxy)-9,9-diphenylfluoren-2,7-diyl]
(P7DPF) solution state including single-chain to aggregated structure
formation, dynamic evolution, and related mechanism was investigated
by static/dynamic laser light scattering (DLS/SLS), UV absorption
spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and so on. It
was found that solvent had a great influence on the formation of P7DPF
β conformation and aggregation state structure. P7DPF aggregation
could be well dissolved into single chains (α conformation)
in a good solvent (chloroform). But in a relatively poor solvent (toluene),
only the α conformation was dissolved; the β conformation
could stably exist in the aggregation with size about 100 nm even
after being heated at a high temperature (343 K) and ultrasonic oscillation.
Interestingly, in the mixed solution of adding different ratio chloroform
into toluene solution, although the size of aggregation was unchanged
before adding 40% chloroform, the size was dramatically dropped after
adding 50% chloroform. In this process, the content of the β
conformation, interchain packing density, and chain orderliness in
aggregation were gradually reduced. Those results suggested that solvent
can greatly impact chain aggregated structure formation and dynamic
evolution. The related mechanism was revealed. The research is of
great significance not only to understand the correlation among solvent/P7DPF
chains interaction, solution behavior, and device performance but
also to understand the physical essence of enhancing photoelectric
performance to well control conjugated polymer condensed state structure
in application for conjugated polymer-based film optoelectronic devices.
The obtained conclusions can help to understand other conjugated polymer
systems.