Fabrication of highly fluorescent perylene bisimide nanofibers through interfacial self-assembly

Perylene diimides are typical n-type organic semiconductors with interesting optical and electronic properties. Versatile properties of these compounds are deeply related to the morphologies of the self-assembled nanostructures. Self-assembled strong red fluorescent nanofibers of N,N'-bis(1-dodecyl)perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (D-PTCDI) were successfully prepared by a solution based phase-transfer method. Morphology of the nanostructure was characterized by optical, fluorescence, scanning, and transmission electron microscopic techniques. Observed molecular self-assembly was supported by the computational predictions. Thin film of the D-PTCDI was casted on glass substrate by spin-coating. UV-vis absorption maximum of the thin film was shifted to longer wavelength than in solution. Conducting properties of the thin films were evaluated by current-voltage measurements.