Synthesis and Characterization of Spirobifluorene-Based Polymers for Organic Light-Emitting Diode Applications

The following series of blue EL polymers was synthesized using the Suzuki polymerization method: poly(3',6'-bis(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy)-9,9'-spirobifluorene-2,7-diyl) poly[$(OC_{10})_2$-spirobifluorene], poly{3',6'-bis(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy)-9,9'-2,7-diyl-co-4-(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy) phenyl-diphenylamine-4',4'-diyl} poly[$(OC_{10})_2$-spirobifluorene-TPA] (5:1, 9:1) and poly{3',6'-bis(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy)-9,9'-spirobifluorene-2,7-diyl-co-4-(6-((3-methyloxetan-3-yl)methoxy)hexyloxyphenyl-bisphenylamine-4',4'-diyl) poly[$(OC_{10})_2$-spirobifluorene-TPA-oxetane]. The weight average molecular weight (Mw) and polydispersity of the resulting polymers ranged from $1.6{\times}10^4-1.5{\times}10^5$ and 1.77-2.31, respectively. The resulting polymers were completely soluble in common organic solvents and were easily spin-coated onto an indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate. The polymers exhibited strong blue emission peaking at 450 nm. The maximum brightness and luminance efficiency were $9,960\;cd/m^2$ and 1.2 cd/A, respectively.