Optical properties and structural morphology of one-dimensional perylenediimide derivatives

Three derivatives of perylene diimide, namely N,N′-ditridecylperylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (DT-PDI), N,N′-dipentylperylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (DP-PDI) and N,N′-bis(1-hexylheptyl)perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (DH-PDI) differ in their side-chain substitution have been examined to study the effect of side-chain substituents on their optical properties and structural morphology. Due to the different side-chain, the self-assembly of these molecules results in totally different optical properties and structural morphologies, as confirmed from the steady-state absorption and fluorescence, time resolved fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The collected results confirmed the formation of one-dimensional (1D) nanowires in the case of short linear side chain, chunky aggregates in the case of long linear substituted side chain, and zero-dimensional (0D) nanospheres with the branched substituted side chain.