Effect of chain conformation on micro-mechanical behaviour of MEH–PPV thin film

The morphology, photoluminescent properties and micro-mechanical character of poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylene vinylene] (MEH–PPV) thin films prepared from toluene (T film) and chloroform (C film) were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), absorption, photoluminescence spectrophotometry and nanoindentation test. The morphological feature of worm-like entities which appeared in T film was ~10–20 nm in length and 3–5 nm in width. The C film displayed the continuous cotton fibre-shaped morphology. In contrast with C film, the band-edge absorption and maximum emission for T film shifted to the longer wavelength. An analysis from TEM photograph, absorption and photoluminescence spectra indicated that different chain conformation presented in these two kinds of films. The nanoindentation test showed that the elastic modulus and indentation hardness of T film under the same experimental parameter (load: 50–200 μN, loading rate: 20 μN/s and holding time: 20 s) decreased by 33·3 ± 0·3 and 8·9 ± 0·5%, respectively comparing with C film. In addition, critical bending radius of these two films based on the flexible base was also evaluated from the obtained experimental results.