DESIGN, SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NOVEL LIGANDS AND CORRESPONDING METALLOPOLYMERS AND THEIR APPLICATION AS LUMINESCENT FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS

Abstract

"Polymer Science" is an inevitable part of our life. The products made from synthetic polymers are all around us, such as clothing made from synthetic fibers, polyethylene cups, nylon bearings, plastic bags, polymer-based paints, epoxy glue, polyurethane foam cushion, silicone heart valves, PVC in electrical appliances, PP and PET in packaging and Teflon-coated cookware and many more. The high durability, cheaper in cost, and lightweight compared to other competitive materials have enhanced their use and importance in our daily lives. The organic biopolymers play a crucial role in living things, providing necessary structural materials, and participating in vital life processes. For example, the rigid parts of all plants are made up of polymers like cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, while the cells and tissues are made up of proteins. Many other organic -conjugated polymers such as PV, PEDOT, PANI, etc. have inherent conductivity when highly doped. This brings out their potential use in the field of electronics, but due to their low stability, they have faced some drawbacks. To overcome the drawbacks of these polymers, scientists and researchers felt the need for an alternative material. The extension of Supramolecular Chemistry beyond molecular chemistry offers unlimited structural possibilities and provides enormous potential to improve molecular materials' capability to supramolecular materials. The organic-metallic hybrid polymers, a part of supramolecular chemistry, brought solutions for different drawbacks of conducting organic polymers. The metal-ligand interaction has been a viable method for the construction of these novel metallopolymers. These novel metallopolymers are synthesized by the complexation reactions of organic building blocks with different transition metal ions, lanthanides and some main group metal ions. Complexation reactions combine properties of organic polymers, such as easy structural tunability and processability, with the advantages of rich electronic, magnetic, and electrochemical stability of metal centers. Tuning of different properties is also easy in these types of polymers by either making structural changes in building blocks or by changing the metal center.