Synthesis and Properties about Color Stability of m-SiP-PPDFV with Difluoro Groups in Vinylene Units
New electroluminescent polymers with fluoro groups in vinylene units, poly(m-silylphenyl-p-phenylene-difluorovinylene) (m-SiP-PPDFV) have been synthesized by GILCH polymerization. These polymers have been used as the electroluminescent (EL) layers in single layer light-emitting diodes (LEDs) (ITO/PEDOT/polymer/Ca:Al). m-SiP-PPDFV shows PL around = 452 nm and green EL around = 497 nm. The current-voltage-luminance (I-V-L) characteristics of the polymers show turn-on voltages of 4.0 V approximately. Two fluoro groups were introduced on every vinylene units of m-SiP-PPV to give m-SiP-PPDFV in an attempt to increase the electron affinity of the parent polymer, and the devices show an increased color stability even with vinylene units. The color stability is attributed to the electron-withdrawing effect of the fluoro groups, which protect vinylene units from oxidation in PPV derivatives. We believe that fluoro groups can be introduced in vinylene units in order to attain excellent stability of PPV derivatives.