Electronic and Optical Properties of Liquid-Crystalline Poly(p-phenylene vinylene) Derivativesand Their Functional Application

Abstract

Poly(2-methoxy, 5-(4-decyloxy-biphenyl-4'-(1, 10-dioxydecane)) p-phenylene vinylene), MDBD-PPV with a long side chain containing alkoxybiphenyl mesogenic unit has been newly synthesized andits electrical and optical properties have been investigated This polymer showed a microscopic texture typical to the liquid-crystalline phase and a sharp X-ray diffraction peak due to the smectic layer structure. The bandgap of MDBD-PPV in the liquid-crystalline phase has been evaluated to be about 2.3 eV. An electroluminescent (EL) device has been fabricated using this liquid-crystalline polymer, MDBD-PPV as an emissive layer and the polarity effect has been observed in emission spectra of this EL device.