# Decoration of Polyfluorene-Wrapped Carbon Nanotubes with Photoleavable Side-Chains
## 4 Conclusions  
Polyfluorene-SWNTs complexes were functionalized with either photocleavable or non-cleavable TEG side-chains. The photocleavage of the side-chains was first studied on the polymer using UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. As the irradiation time increased, a decrease in the absorbance was observed at 300 nm, while a new peak at 350 nm arose for the cleavable sample. This corresponds to the photoisomerization of the \(o\)NB linker into the corresponding \(o\)-nitroobenzaldehyde. Functionalized polyfluorene-wrapped SWNTs were then prepared, and the photocleavage was studied using UV-Vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy. After overnight irradiation, the cleavage of the side-chains led to the precipitation of the dispersion, resulting in broad absorption peaks. Finally, thin-film samples of the polymer-wrapped SWNTs were prepared and irradiated overnight. Unfortunately, due to the limited ability of the light to penetrate through the thin films, no conductivity could be detected pre-and post-irradiation. However, these results demonstrate the ability to efficiently cleave the side-chains using light without damaging the structure of the nanotubes.  
The following supporting information can be downloaded at: [[https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/molecules28031471/s1](https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/molecules28031471/s1)]([https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/molecules28031471/s1](https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/molecules28031471/s1)), Schemes S1-S7: synthesis schemes; Figure S1:H-NMR spectra of PF-Br and PF-N3; Figure S2: FT-IR overlay of the click reaction; Figure S3: \({}^{1}\)H-NMR overlay of PF-N3, PF-TEG and PF-oNB-TEG; Figure S4: photoisomerization mechanism; Figure S5: \({}^{1}\)H-NMR overlay of PF-TEG before and after irradiation; Figure S6: FT-IR overlay of the click reaction between PF-N3-SWNTs and the side-chains; Figure S7: Full Raman spectra at \(\lambda_{\text{ex}}\) = 633 nm and \(\lambda_{\text{ex}}\) = 785 nm; Figure S8: photograph of a PF-SWNTs thin film; Figure S9: Full Raman spectra pre- and post-irradiation at \(\lambda_{\text{ex}}\) = 785 nm; Figure S10: GPC trace of PF-Br; Figures S11-S15: \({}^{1}\)H-NMR, \({}^{13}\)C-NMR, and depta NMR spectra of the different synthesized compounds.  
D.R.: All experimental work, conceptualization, analysis, writing of initial draft; A.A.: Project administration, conceptualization, analysis, acquisition of funding, review and editing. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research was funded by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Green Electronics Network (GreEN) (grant number: NETGP 508526-17) as well as the NSERC Discovery Grant Program (grant number RGPIN-2017-06033).  
Not applicable.  
The data presented in this study are available in the supplementary material.  
We are grateful for generous support from the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Green Electronics Network (GreEN) (grant number: NETGP 508526-17). We also thank the NSERC Discovery Grant program for financial support for this work.  
The authors declare no conflict of interest.