A JOINT EXPERIMENTAL AND THEORETICAL-STUDY OF THE INTERACTION BETWEENALUMINUM AND ELECTROLUMINESCENT POLYMERS - CYANO DERIVATIVES OF POLY(P-PHENYLENE VINYLENE)

The early stages of metal/polymer interface formation between aluminum and -tetrahexyloxy-8,7'-dicyanodi-p-phenylenevinylene) or their ring- substituted derivatives have been studied theoretically by using quant um-chemical calculations as well as experimentally by X-ray photoelect ron spectroscopy and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. This clas s of conjugated polymer is of interest in the development of organic l ight-emitting diodes. The theoretical and experimental results indicat e that aluminum preferentially reacts with the polymer by forming cova lent bonds with the nitrogen and carbon atoms of the cyano groups. Whe n the side chains of the phenylene rings include carbonyl groups, howe ver, the theoretical results indicate that the carbonyl moiety is anot her preferred site of interaction.