PHOTOINDUCED ELECTRON-TRANSFER FROM PI-CONJUGATED POLYMERS ONTO BUCKMINSTERFULLERENE, FULLEROIDS, AND METHANOFULLERENES

We present near-steady-state photoinduced absorption (PIA), photoluminescence, and light-induced electron spin resonance (LESR) studies on photoinduced electron transfer reactions from poly(bis-2,5-epi-cholestanoxy-1,4- phenylene vinylene) (BeCHA-PPV) as a donor to Buckminsterfullerene (C 60) and a number of functionalized fullerenes as acceptors. We show that functionalized fullerenes with a solubilizing side chain linked to C 60 in a [5,6] (fulleroid) or [6,6] (methanofullerene) fashion, are efficient electron acceptors towards BeCHA-PPV, as evidenced from changes in the PIA, the efficient quenching of the photoluminescence, and the LESR spectra of BeCHA-PPV cation and fullerene anion radicals. The increased miscibility of the functionalized fullerenes with the conjugated polymer as compared to C 60, can be important for the preparation of future electrooptic devices, based on the photoinduced charge separation. © 1995 American Institute of Physics.