Conjugated polymers and blends for controlled emission, reflection, and absorption in the visible and near infrared

The synthesis, properties and applications of a number of conjugated polymers and multi-component materials which provide a range of optical states that can be accessed for electrochromic and electroluminescent devices will be addressed. Results will be presented examining absorption and emission characteristics in the visible and near - infrared regions of the spectrum. Variable gap conjugated electrochromic polymers show high oxidative switching stabilities ( related to high HOMO levels for facile oxidation to the doped state) and narrow gap polymers exhibit three distinct colors as they can be both p-and n-type doped. The complementary nature of the electrochromic behavior of these polymers is demonstrated using reflection and transmission devices constructed using sandwich and lateral geometries ,along with new methods of patterning electrodes. Mutli-component polymer and organic LEDs that exploit energy transfer among emitting chromophores distributed within the active matrix allow precise control of emission. We will discuss near-IR photoluminescence (PL) and electroluminescence (EL) from blends of polymers and non-conjugated thermoplastics with a variety of lanthanide complexes.