Matrix Effect on Polydiarylfluorenes Electrospun Hybrid Microfibers: From Morphology Tuning to High Explosive Detection Efficiency

• Published in: Chinese journal of polymer science 2023-07, Vol.41 (7), p.1011-1017
• Main Authors: Xue, Wei, Xu, Man, Wei, Chuan-Xin, Sun, Hua-Min, Sun, Li-Li, Wang, Sheng-Jie, Lin, Jin-Yi, Shi, Nai-En, Xie, Ling-Hai, Huang, Wei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed Matter Physics; Electrospinning; Emission spectra; Ethylene oxide; Explosives detection; Hybrid systems; Hydrogen bonding; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Microfibers; Morphology; Optoelectronics; Phase separation; Polyethylene oxide; Polymer Sciences; Polyvinyl carbazole; Research Article; Synergistic effect; Traction force
• ISSN: 0256-7679; 1439-6203
• DOI: 10.1007/s10118-023-2927-1

Precisely optimizing the morphology of functional hybrid polymeric systems is crucial to improve its photophysical property and further extend their optoelectronic applications. The physic-chemical property of polymeric matrix in electrospinning (ES) processing is a key factor to dominate the condensed structure of these hybrid microstructures and further improve its functionality. Herein, we set a flexible poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) as the matrix to obtain a series of polydiarylfluorenes (including PHDPF, PODPF and PNDPF) electrospun hybrid microfibers with a robust deep-blue emission. Significantly different from the rough morphology of their poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) ES hybrid fibers, polydiarylfluorenes/PEO ES fibers showed a smooth morphology and small size with a diameter of 1∼2 µm. Besides, there is a relatively weak phase separation under rapid solvent evaporation during the ES processing, associated with the hydrogen-bonded-assisted network of PEO in ES fibers. These relative “homogeneous” ES fibers present efficient deep-blue emission (PLQY>50%), due to weak interchain aggregation. More interestingly, low fraction of planar ( β ) conformation appears in the uniform PODPF/PEO ES fibers, induced by the external traction force in ES processing. Meanwhile, PNDPF/PEO ES fibers present a highest sensitivity than those of other ES fibers, associated with the smallest diameter and large surface area. Finally, compared to PODPF/PVK fibers and PODPF/PEO amorphous ES fibers, PODPF/PEO ES fibers obtained from DCE solution exhibit an excellent quenching behavior toward a saturated DNT vapor, mainly due to the synergistic effect of small size, weak separation, β -conformation formation and high deep-blue emission efficiency.