Synthesis and Study of the Optical Properties of a Conjugated Polymer with Configurational Isomerism for Optoelectronics

Abstract

A π-conjugated polymer (PBQT) containing bis-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-benzo [1,2-b’] bithiophene (BDT) units alternated with a quinoline-vinylene trimer was obtained by the Stille reaction. The chemical structure of the polymer was verified by nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF). The intrinsic photophysical properties of the solution were evaluated by absorption and (static and dynamic) fluorescence. The polymer PBQT exhibits photochromism with a change in absorption from blue (449 nm) to burgundy (545 nm) and a change in fluorescence emission from green (513 nm) to orange (605 nm) due to conformational photoisomerization from the trans to the cis isomer, which was supported by theoretical calculations DFT and TD-DFT. This optical response can be used in optical sensors, security elements, or optical switches. Furthermore, the polymer forms spin-coated films with absorption properties that cover the entire visible range, with a maximum near the solar emission maximum. The frontier molecular orbitals, HOMO and LUMO, were calculated by cyclic voltammetry, and values of −5.29 eV and −3.69, respectively, and a bandgap of 1.6 eV were obtained, making this material a semiconductor with a good energetic match. These properties could suggest its use in photovoltaic applications.