Ultrathin films of poly(2,5-dicyano-p-phenylene-vinylene)-co-(p-phenylene-vinylene) DCN-PPV/PPV: A Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett films study

Manipulation of polymeric films at the molecular level can be appropriate to improve the properties of optoelectronic devices. In this paper, the copolymer poly(2,5-dicyano-p-phenylene-vinylene)-co-(p-phenylene- vinylene) (DCN-PPV/PPV) was spread on the air-water interface forming Langmuir films. The monolayers were investigated with surface pressure-area isotherms, and polarization modulation infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS). The monomolecular films were then transferred to solid supports through the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique, and characterized by PM-IRRAS and atomic force microscopy, with the viability of the film as an optical device investigated with fluorescence spectroscopy. The immobilization of this copolymer on solid supports as LB films provided a molecular architecture with control of their molecular properties, which may have applications for the production of optoelectronic devices. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.