Tuning the properties of an anthracene-based PPE-PPV copolymer by fine variation of its macromolecular parameters

The effects of a moderate variation of the molecular weight on the optical, structural, morphological and transport properties of an anthracene-containing PPE-PPV copolymer are investigated, as well as their overall implication on the photovoltaic parameters of bulk-heterojunction solar cells. Just a two-fold variation in the molecular weight is enough to induce appreciable changes in the properties of the investigated polymer films, indicating that a fine tuning of the macromolecular parameters is required for the optimization of the properties of polydispersed molecular systems. A remarkable role of the polydispersity index in the organization of polymer chains, thus reflecting in the electronic properties of the polymer films, is observed.