A wide range of polymerization methods for the synthesis of polymers with functional groups have been well investigated. However, there are some functional groups which may prevent polymerization or lead to side reactions. Post-polymerization modification, also named as polymer-analogous modification, is an alternative method to overcome such limitations. The synthesis of functional polymeric materials by post-polymerization modification is generally based on the polymerization monomers containing functional groups which are inert in the polymerization conditions but can be quantitatively converted into other functional groups subsequently.

Recently, the fluorinated polymers have been widely used to synthesize diverse polymers with functional groups. This thesis focuses on synthesizing different functional polymers by post-polymerization via fluorinated polymers. From Chapter 2 to Chapter 5, the fluorinated polymers were synthesized first, then different functional groups were grafted to the conjugated backbones by post-polymerization.

Based on this strategy, several functional polymers have been synthesized and investigated in this thesis. To improve the hydrophilicity of conjugated polymers, F8BT-OC8, F8BT-m (m=2, 3, 4, 5, 6) and F8BT-PEG with hydrophilic side chains were synthesized by post-polymerization in Chapter 2. The contact angle measurement demonstrated that the hydrophilicity was improved by grafting hydrophilic side chains. Conjugated polyelectrolytes with modulated density of ionic groups have been synthesized in Chapter 3. The performances of OPV and OLED devices were both improved using the conjugated electrolytes as interfacial layers. Also, the effect of ionic density on conjugated polyelectrolytes used in OPV and OLED devices was investigated. A new thermo-, pH/CO2-responsive fluorescent graft copolymer was synthesized in Chapter 4. The approach of post-polymerization via fluorinated polymer substitution gives us a very effective strategy to synthesize multi-stimuli-responsive polymers. Water soluble and pH responsive conjugated polyampholytes were synthesized in Chapter 5. With changing pH, the polyampholytes showed intermolecular interactions via electrostatic complexation between positive and negative moieties.