Molecular weight dependence of emission intensity and emitting sites distribution within single conjugated polymer molecules

Satoshi Habuchi*, Suguru Onda, Martin Vacha

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

60 Scopus citations

Abstract

We investigated exciton migration, trapping and emission processes occurring within a single conjugated polymer molecule by means of superresolution fluorescence localization microscopy. This methodology allowed us to locate the spatial distribution of emitting sites within single chains with nanometre precision. The study was done on individual poly[2-methoxy-5- (2′-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) molecules with average molecular weights ranging from 215000 to 1440000 and with narrow weight distributions. We found that the mean emission intensity increases proportionally to the polymer molecular weight. The localization experiments suggest that the emitting sites are distributed nearly uniformly within a single chain and that the sites are on average 10 nm apart, irrespective of the molecular weight of the polymer. Furthermore, spatial contours formed by all the combined emitting sites within one chain show elongated shapes, in agreement with a rod-like structure of MEH-PPV in a collapsed state.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1743-1753
Number of pages11
JournalPhysical Chemistry Chemical Physics
Volume13
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 7 2011
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

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