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Research Article

AIEgen containing side-chain liquid crystalline polymers: Photoluminecence or photothermal, which dominate?

Lei Tao1,2, He-Lou Xie3( ), Xin Qi1, Jun Song2, Hong Xin1( ), Zhen-Qiang Yu1,2( )
College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Institute of Low-dimensional Materials Genome Initiative, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518071, China
Key Lab of Environment-friendly Chemistry and Application in Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan 411105, China
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Graphical Abstract

A series of α-dicyanodistyrylbenzene (a-DCS) containing luminescent liquid crystalline polymers (LLCPs) with polynorbornene as main chain are successfully prepared via ring-opening metathesis polymerization to reveal the relationship between photoluminescence (PL) and photothermal behavior. The liquid crystal (LC) phase structure, molecular packing model, photoluminescence behavior, lifetime, and photothermal effect of the resultant polymers are strongly dependent on the alkyl tail length and the photothermal effect plays a dominant role during the excited states energy decay.

Abstract

Why many luminescent liquid crystalline polymers (LLCPs) containing aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen) show weak emission is a question still to be answered. Herein, a series of LLCPs (α-Pns, n = 4, 8, and 12) with polynorbornene as main chain and two α-dicyanodistyrylbenzene (α-DCS) as side chain are successfully synthesized to solve this issue. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized light microscopy (PLM), one-dimentional (1D), two-dimentional (2D) middle-angle and wide-angle X-ray scattering (MAXS and WAXS) results demonstrate that the polymers form smectic A (SmA) phase with the side chains interdigitated packed within the smectic layers. Meanwhile, the photophysical properties of α-Pns were investigated by ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption, steady state and time-resolved spectroscopy, and photothermal effect. Results show that the polymers are AIE active, but emit weak emission. The emission peak of α-Pns film red-shift from 473 to 531 nm, the quantum yield gradually increases from around 1.6% to 14.7%, and the photothermal conversion efficiency decreases from 39% to 19% with the alkyl tail length increased. The photothermal effect, but not photoluminescence, dominates the excited state relaxation.

Keywords

luminescent liquid crystalline polymersdicyanodistyrylbenzenesmectic A structurealkyl tail dependencephotothermal conversion

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Nano Research
Volume 15 Issue 10,
October 2022
Pages 9334-9340
DOI: 10.1007/s12274-022-4603-0
Cite this article:
Tao L, Xie H-L, Qi X, et al. AIEgen containing side-chain liquid crystalline polymers: Photoluminecence or photothermal, which dominate?. Nano Research, 2022, 15(10): 9334-9340. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-022-4603-0
Topics:
Emission spectroscopyFluorescence spectroscopyOrganic polymersPhotoluminescenceX-ray diffraction

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Received: 28 April 2022
Revised: 27 May 2022
Accepted: 28 May 2022
Published: 12 July 2022
© Tsinghua University Press 2022
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