New hybrid materials based on a combination of an inorganic sensor complex (Pd porphyrin) and polymeric diphenylanthracene emitters are reported, which allow for low-power light upconversion by triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA-UC).  This process was recently successfully employed to impart upconversion capability to both rubbery and glassy polymers.  To probe the importance of dye concentration, chromophore mobility, and polymer morphology, two new polymers bearing diphenylanthracene side chains were synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization and ring-opening metathesis polymerization.  This design approach circumvents problems associated with simply blending the dyes with a matrix polymer, since their covalent tethering prevents phase-separation and crystallization. In combination with Pd octaethylporphyrin the new polymers displayed low-power green-blue upconversion in solution and solid-state. The new materials represent a the first step towards the synthesis of complex polymeric architectures which offer access to well-defined structures that favor the required cascade of energy transfers between the chromophores .

Architectural control for enhanced low-power upconversion in polymeric materials

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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