Synthesis and photoluminescent property of star polymers with carbzole pendent and a zinc porphyrin core by ATRP

Styrene-type monomer 9-(4-vinylbenzyl)-9H-carbazole (VBCz) and methacrylate-type monomer 2-(9H-carbazole-9-yl)-ethyl methacrylate (CzEMA) were polymerized to star polymers respectively via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) using zinc 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-(2-methyl-2-bromopropoxy) phenyl) porphyrin as an initiator. The emission spectra of two star polymers (star poly(VBCz) and star poly(CzEMA)) in the solid state displayed red light emission, while those of two monomers showed blue light emission. The result demonstrates that effective energy transfer occurs from the carbazole to the Zn porphyrin core. However, two star polymers in DMF solution emit week red light and strong UV light at 350–400 nm, it points that energy transfer cannot occur from the carbazole to the Zn porphyrin core effectively. They exhibit good thermal stability with Td poly(VBCz) = 374 °C and Td poly(CzEMA) = 297 °C at 5% weight loss. The DSC curves show that the glass transition temperature of styrene-type (Tg poly(VBCz) = 177 °C) was better than that of methacrylate-type (Tg poly(CzEMA) = 148 °C).