Correlation Between Molecular Structure,Microscopic Morphology,and Optical Propertiesof Poly(tetraalkylindenofluorene)s

The emission properties of polyindenofluorenes with various proportions of straight‐ and branched‐chain alkyl substituents have been compared. The polymer with straight octyl substituents shows green emission due to formation of aggregates, while the polymer with branched 2‐ethylhexyl substituents shows blue emission. Studies of the film morphology show the presence of ordered structures due to π‐stacking of the polymer chains for the octyl‐substituted polymer, whereas the polymer with branched side‐chains shows no such order. Copolymers show intermediate behavior. A clear correlation is established between the degree of straight‐chain alkyl substitution, the formation of ordered structures in the films, and the amount of long wavelength emission in the solid‐state spectra.