Single-molecule studies of light-emitting polymers: observing and manipulating polymer conformation in solution

发光聚合物的单分子研究：观察和操纵溶液中的聚合物构象

基本信息

批准号：
EP/N009886/1
负责人：
Carlos Penedo
金额：
$ 50.69万
依托单位：
University of St Andrews
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Research Grant
财政年份：
2016
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2016 至无数据
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FN009886%2F1
关键词：
Single molecule studies light emitting

项目摘要

A remarkable advance in modern science is the ability to detect the light emitted by single molecules. This achievement - the demonstration of the ultimate detection limit - lies at the heart of a new era of microscopy that is transforming our understanding of biological processes. The ability to pinpoint the exact location of a single dye molecule, quantify fluctuations in the emission of individual molecules or the possibility of stretching at will a single biopolymer are providing knowledge that before it was only possible to dream of. Whilst these techniques will continue to revolutionize biology, we now propose to apply them to give breakthroughs in materials science. The first aim of this proposal is to develop a toolbox of single-molecule techniques that offer for the first time the opportunity of observing and manipulating materials as depicted in the textbooks: molecule by molecule. We will use these techniques to make a pioneering breakthrough in linking the conformation of conjugated polymers in solution to their light-emitting properties. Understanding this relationship is crucial because a key advantage of these materials is that they can be processed into optoelectronic devices using simple deposition methods from solution. Conjugated polymers are very promising for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays as well as solar cells and transistors. The display of information - on mobile phones, televisions and monitors is very important for work, communication, entertainment and learning. Advances in display technology have been dramatic and some of the most attractive are OLEDs. To meet the growing technological opportunities, it is crucial to develop a deeper understanding of how the properties of conjugated polymers relate to their conformation. The conformation is the shape of the polymer and it has a huge effect on the optical properties but it is very difficult to study because every polymer chain has a different shape. We will overcome this problem by measuring single polymers in solution, and by developing techniques to mechanically manipulate the conformation of the polymer to identify how changes in shape alter its light emission properties. This is a pioneering area because single-molecule methods for non-aqueous environments are still in their infancy and our work will allow us to understand how the solvent affects polymer conformation and light emission with an unprecedented level of detail.Our second goal involves the novel concept in materials sciences of manipulating the polymer backbone using mechanical force whilst simultaneously monitoring its fluorescence properties. We will apply manipulation techniques to conjugated polymers for the first time. Stretching the polymer in a controlled manner will reveal the optical signature of different conformations (i.e. linear versus collapsed) enabling the emission properties to be related to the underlying shape of each individual polymer chain - information not available by any other technique. To achieve these goals, we have put together a team of leading scientists in key areas through a collaboration between St Andrews (polymer physics & single-molecule) and Strathclyde and UCSB to assist with the synthesis of novel orthogonally functionalized conjugated polymers. The proposal also benefits from a partnership with Cambridge Display Technology Limited (CDT, UK), the leading company in polymer LED technology, that will help us to efficiently translate our findings into technological advances. Our project partners at the University of Leipzig will assist with the integration of mechanical manipulation into our single-molecule fluorescence microscopes. Our results will not only advance the field of polymer LEDs, but also other polymer optoelectronic areas such as lasers and solar cells, and the wider fields of polymer and materials science.

现代科学的一个显着进步是检测单分子发出的光的能力。这一成就 - 最终检测极限的演示 - 是显微镜新时代的核心，正在改变我们对生物过程的理解。能够查明单个染料分子确切位置的能力，量化单个分子排放中的波动，或者在将单个生物聚合物伸展的可能性提供了只有在才能做梦之前提供的知识。尽管这些技术将继续彻底改变生物学，但我们现在建议将其应用它们以在材料科学方面取得突破。该提案的第一个目的是开发单分子技术的工具箱，该工具箱首次提供了观察和操纵材料的机会，如教科书中所示：分子分子。我们将使用这些技术在将共轭聚合物的构象与其发光特性联系起来时取得了开创性的突破。了解这种关系至关重要，因为这些材料的关键优势是可以使用解决方案中的简单沉积方法将它们处理到光电设备中。共轭聚合物对于有机发光二极管（OLED）显示以及太阳能电池和晶体管非常有前途。信息显示 - 手机，电视和监视器上的信息对于工作，沟通，娱乐和学习非常重要。展示技术的进步是戏剧性的，其中一些最具吸引力的是OLED。为了满足不断增长的技术机会，至关重要的是要深入了解共轭聚合物与它们的构象的关系。构象是聚合物的形状，它对光学特性具有巨大影响，但是很难研究，因为每个聚合物链的形状都不同。我们将通过测量溶液中的单个聚合物以及开发技术来机械操纵聚合物的构象以确定形状的变化如何改变其光发射特性，从而克服该问题。这是一个开创性的领域，因为非水环境的单分子方法仍处于起步阶段，我们的工作将使我们能够了解溶剂如何影响聚合物的构象和光发射，并以前所未有的详细程度。我们的第二个目标涉及使用机械效应的材料概念，而这些概念涉及使用机械效应的材料概念。我们将首次将操纵技术应用于共轭聚合物。以受控的方式拉伸聚合物将揭示不同构象的光学特征（即线性与塌陷），从而使发射特性与每个单独的聚合物链的潜在形状相关 - 任何其他技术都无法获得。为了实现这些目标，我们通过St Andrews（聚合物物理学和单分子）与Strathclyde和UCSB之间的合作来组建一个主要领域的领先科学家团队，以协助合成新型的正交功能化的共轭聚合物。该提案还受益于与聚合物LED技术领先公司Cambridge Display Technology Limited（CDT，UK）的合作伙伴关系，该公司将有助于我们有效地将我们的发现转化为技术进步。我们在莱比锡大学的项目合作伙伴将有助于将机械操纵整合到我们的单分子荧光显微镜中。我们的结果不仅将推进聚合物LED领域，还将推进其他聚合物光电子区域（例如激光和太阳能电池），以及聚合物和材料科学的更广泛领域。