Studies on the photoreaction of polysilanes by fluorescence spectroscopy

Abstract

The fluorescence spectra of poly(methylcyclohexylsilane) (PCHMS) or poly-(methylphenethylsilane-co-methylcyclohexylsilane) (Copolymer) in solutions before and after u.v. irradiation in air were studied. The experimental results showed that the positions of the fluorescence peaks shifted to a shorter wavelength and the fluorescence intensities decreased gradually with an increase of u.v. exposure time. The dependences of u.v. spectra, GPC, ESCA spectra and i.r. spectra of PCHMS or Copolymer solutions upon u.v. exposure in air indicated that these phenomena are in accordance with the processes of photodegradation and photo-oxidation, which led to decreasing molecular weights and the formation of siloxane structure in silicon-silicon main chains.