Studies of photoluminescence of p-phenylenevinylene oligomer and its polymer blends

A p-phenylenevinylene oligomer, 1,4-bis(3′-methyl-6′-octyloxystyryl)benzene was synthesized using Wittig’s reaction. The oligomer was isomerized to all trans structure by refluxing in toluene with a catalytic amount of iodine. The oligomer was characterized by using 1H NMR, UV–VIS, differential scanning calorimetry and fluorescence techniques. Polymer blends of the oligomer with PMMA and two short conjugation length polymers were studied for their photoluminescence (PL) properties. The blends with short conjugation length polymers showed significant increase in PL intensity, suggesting the occurrence of excitonic migration from oligomer to these polymers.