High solid state photoluminescence quantum yields and effective color tuning in polyvinylpyridine based zinc(II) metallopolymers

Abstract

Two series of amorphous metallopolymers are produced by grafting N′-substituted aroylhydrazide zinc(II) coordinated fragments onto poly-(4-vinylpyridine) at several concentrations. The polymers are characterized concerning their thermal behavior and absorption/emission properties. In the solid state their photoluminescence (PL) performances are remarkable. The emission color can be effectively tuned across the entire visible spectrum by varying the strength of the electron acceptor substituent on the tridentate ligand. As concerns the emission intensity, PL quantum yields measured on spin coated thin films range from medium to high values and greatly exceed those of the model molecular complexes. Some of these values can be considered among the highest reported in the literature for metallopolymers. Metallopolymers obtained by grafting N′-substituted aroylhydrazide Zn(II) complexes onto poly-(4-vinylpyridine) are reported. An effective color tuning of the emission across the entire visible spectrum is recorded depending on the strength of the electron acceptor substituent on the ligand structure. Outstanding photoluminescence quantum yield values are recorded on thin films, strongly enhanced with respect to molecular complexes.