Luminescent polymer

Abstract

A luminescent polymer comprising a triarylene repeat unit which comprises a triarylene of general formula (I) which is substituted or unsubstituted and an arylene repeat unit -[-Ar-]- that is different from the triarylene repeat unit wherein X, Y and Z are each independently O, S, CR 2 , SiR 2 or NR and each R is independently alkyl, aryl or H.

1 . A luminescent polymer comprising a triarylene repeat unit which comprises a triarylene of general formula I which is substituted or unsubstituted and an arylene repeat unit Ar that is different from the triarylene repeat unit:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein X, Y and Z are each independently O, S, CR 2 , SiR 2  or NR and each R is independently alkyl, aryl or H.  
     
     
         2 . A luminescent polymer according to  claim 1 , excluding the polymer comprising a triarylene repeat unit which is an unsubstituted triarylene of formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         3 . A luminescent polymer according to  claim 1  or  claim 2 , which comprises repeat units of the general formula II:  
       triarylene repeat unit—Ar  (II)  
     
     
         4 . A luminescent polymer according to  claim 3 , which comprises repeat units having the general formula III which is substituted or unsubstituted:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       where X, Y and Z are as defined in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         5 . A polymer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the triarylene repeat unit comprises a unit having the general formula IV:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein at least one of R 1  to R 6  comprises an alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, CN or halide substituent.  
     
     
         6 . A polymer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein X, Y and Z are each independently O or S.  
     
     
         7 . A polymer according to  claim 6 , wherein X, Y and Z are each S.  
     
     
         8 . A polymer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein Ar comprises a 2,7-linked 9,9 dialkyl fluorene, a 2,7-linked 9,9 diaryl fluorene, a p-linked dialkyl phenylene, a p-linked dialkoxy phenylene, a phenylene vinylene, a 2,5-linked benzothiadiazole, a 2,5-linked alkyl benzothiadiazole, a 2,5-linked dialkyl benzothiadiazole, a 2,5-linked substituted or unsubstituted thiophene, a triarylamine or a bis triarylamine.  
     
     
         9 . A polymer according to  claim 8 , wherein Ar comprises a 2,7-linked 9,9 dioctyl fluorene.  
     
     
         10 . A polymer according to any one of the preceding claims, which further comprises a further repeat unit of general formula V:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       which repeat unit is substituted or unsubstituted, wherein Q is O, S, CR 2 , SiR 2  or NR  
     
     
         11 . A polymer according to  claim 10 , wherein Q is O or S.  
     
     
         12 . A polymer according to  claim 11 , wherein Q is S.  
     
     
         13 . A polymer according to any one of the preceding claims, the degree of polymerisation of which is sufficient to achieve bandgap convergence.  
     
     
         14 . A polymer according to  claim 13 , wherein the degree of polymerisation is at least 4.  
     
     
         15 . An optical device or a component therefore, which comprises a substrate and a composition comprising a polymer according to any one of  claims 1  to  14 , supported on the substrate.  
     
     
         16 . An optical device or a component therefore, according to  claim 15 , wherein the optical device comprises an electroluminescent device.  
     
     
         17 . An optical device according to  claim 16 , wherein the electroluminescent device comprises: 
 a first charge carrier injecting layer for injecting positive charge carriers;    a second charge carrier injecting layer for injecting negative charge carriers;    a light-emissive layer (i) located between the charge carrier injecting layers for accepting and combining positive and negative charge carriers to generate light and (ii) comprising a polymer according to any one of  claims 1  to  13 .    
     
     
         18 . An optical device according to  claim 17  further comprising a material for transporting negative charge carriers that is located either between the second charge carrier injecting layer and the light-emissive layer or in the light-emissive layer.  
     
     
         19 . An optical device according to  claim 17  or  18  further comprising a material for transporting positive charge carriers that is located either between the first charge carrier injecting layer and the light-emissive layer or in the light-emissive layer.  
     
     
         20 . An optical device according to any one of  claims 17  to  19  wherein the light-emissive layer comprises a mixture comprising the luminescent polymer according to any one of  claims 1  to  14  and two further polymers that are different from the luminescent polymer.  
     
     
         21 . An optical device according to  claim 20  where the two further polymers are for transporting negative charge carriers and/or transporting positive charge carriers.  
     
     
         22 . An optical device according to  claim 20  or  21  where the mixture comprises:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       where n≧4, 0.05≦x+z≦0.5 and 0.5≦y and x+y+z=1.  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       where x+y=1, 0.5≦x and y≦0.5 and n≧2.  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       where w+x+y=1, w≧0.5, 0≦x+y≦0.5 and n≧2.  
     
     
         23 . Use of a polymer according to any one of  claims 1  to  14 , as a component of an optical device.  
     
     
         24 . Use according to  claim 23 , wherein the optical device comprises an electroluminescent device.  
     
     
         25 . A composition comprising a mixture comprising a luminescent polymer according to any one of  claims 1  to  14 , and a material for transporting positive charge carriers.  
     
     
         26 . A composition according to  claim 25  further comprising a material for transporting negative charge carriers.  
     
     
         27 . A composition according to  claim 25  or  claim 26 , wherein the luminescent polymer according to any one of  claims 1  to  14  comprises a triarylene repeat unit which is an unsubstituted or substituted triarylene of formula: