Photoluminescence of Solvent-Selected Fluorescent Moieties in MEH-PPV Solutions and Films

In this work, we examined how photoluminescence in poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) is affected by morphology, dictated by the mode of preparation. For that, MEH-PPV dilute solutions in good and non-solvents, thick cast films with poly[methylmethacrylate] (PMMA) as inert matrix and spin-coated thin films were prepared. These systems were studied by steady-state and time-dependent fluorescence spectroscopy and electronic microscopy. Unexpected photoluminescent behavior was detected in solutions and films and it was related to different excitons modulated by MEH-PPV conformation. By semi empirical calculations we obtained the singlet and triplet state energies of an MEH-PPV model system and, from time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, the existence of short-lived excited states was revealed, enabling us to infer on possible singlet fission in MEH-PPV-based systems.