The electronic properties of conjugated polymers are strongly coupled to the chain microstructure. In a very straight chain, electronic energy and charge can migrate easily due to the extended π network along the polymer backbone. However, torsional defects can break the conjugation along the π network, leading to shortened effective conjugation lengths and localized states. Conjugated ladder polymers –polymers made up exclusively of fused ring systems – present an attractive solution to torsional defects as their fused nature precludes free rotation. I will compare the excitation relaxation dynamics of a recently synthesized poly-carbazole-based ladder polymer with few conjugation breaks to a comparable conjugated polymer with more freely rotating bonds in solution and thin film states. Doing so highlights the dramatic impact of backbone rigidity on the basic photophysical features of conjugated polymers and in particular the relaxation time of the excited state.

Correlating radiative dynamics with structural heterogeneity in conjugated polymers

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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