Stable Deep Doping of Vapor-Phase Polymerized Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/Ionic Liquid Supercapacitors

Liquid-solution polymerization and vapor-phase polymerization (VPP) have been used to manufacture a series of chloride- and tosylate-doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) carbon paper electrodes. The electrochemistry, specific capacitance, and specific charge were determined for single electrodes in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide (emim dca) ionic liquid electrolyte. VPP-PEDOT exhibits outstanding properties with a specific capacitance higher than 300 F g(-1) , the highest value reported for a PEDOT-based conducting polymer, and doping levels as high as 0.7 charges per monomer were achieved. Furthermore, symmetric PEDOT supercapacitor cells with the emim dca electrolyte exhibited a high specific capacitance (76.4 F g(-1) ) and high specific energy (19.8 Wh kg(-1) ). A Ragone plot shows that the VPP-PEDOT cells combine the high specific power of conventional ("pure") capacitors with the high specific energy of batteries, a highly sought-after target for energy storage.

C-H Arylation in the Synthesis of π-Conjugated Polymers

C-H activation reactions have allowed us to react traditionally chemically inert bonds in molecules to develop new methods for cross-coupling reactions. This type of reactivity can be applied to conjugated polymer materials in an effort to improve existing synthetic difficulties including harsh reaction conditions, multiple monomer functionalization steps, and organometallic reagent waste. In this Viewpoint, we highlight some of the encouraging advances in direct arylation polymerization (DArP) as well as ongoing challenges for future improvement and utility.

Rational Design of Push-Pull Fluorene Dyes: Synthesis and Structure-Photophysics Relationship

Our work surveyed experimental and theoretical investigations to construct highly emissive D-π-A (D=donor, A=acceptor) fluorenes. The synthetic routes were optimised to be concise and gram-scalable. The molecular design was first rationalised by varying the electron-withdrawing group from an aldehyde, ketotriazole or succinyl to methylenemalonitrile or benzothiadiazole. The electron-donating group was next varied from aliphatic or aromatic amines to saturated cyclic amines ranging from aziridine to azepane. Spectroscopic studies correlated with TD-DFT calculations provided the optimised structures. The selected push-pull dyes exhibited visible absorptions, significant brightness, important solvatofluorochromism, mega-Stokes shifts (>250 nm) and dramatic shifts in emission to the near-infrared. The current library includes the comprehensive characterization of 16 prospective dyes for fluorescence applications. Among them, several fluorene derivatives bearing different conjugation anchors were tested for coupling and demonstrated to preserve the photophysical responses once further bound.

N-Alkylthienopyrroledione versus benzothiadiazole pulling units in push–pull copolymers used for photovoltaic applications: density functional theory study

Low-band-gap push–pull copolymers are promising donor materials for bulk heterojunction organic solar cells.

Synthesis of carbazole-based copolymers containing carbazole-thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole groups with different dopants and their fluorescence and electrical conductivity applications

The electrical conductivity of poly(carbazole-thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole) was measured with the introduction of five different dopants (HCl, Fe(iii), Cu(ii), H₃BO₃, and I₂) into its framework through protonation of a nitrogen atom or complex formation.

Benzodi(pyridothiophene): a novel acceptor unit for application in A1–A–A1 type photovoltaic small molecules

BDPT-2DPP containing a new building block of benzodi(pyridothiophene) (BDPT) and two diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) units showed a PCE of 3.97% in their photovoltaic devices.

Design of medium band gap random terpolymers containing fluorene linked diketopyrrolopyrrole and thiophene co-monomers: an experimental and theoretical study

Six different random terpolymers were synthesised and their optoelectronic properties were fine-tuned by varying the thiophene strength.

Theory of Primary Photoexcitations in Donor-Acceptor Copolymers

We present a generic theory of primary photoexcitations in low band gap donor-acceptor conjugated copolymers. Because of the combined effects of strong electron correlations and broken symmetry, there is considerable mixing between a charge-transfer exciton and an energetically proximate triplet-triplet state with an overall spin singlet. The triplet-triplet state, optically forbidden in homopolymers, is allowed in donor-acceptor copolymers. For an intermediate difference in electron affinities of the donor and the acceptor, the triplet-triplet state can have a stronger oscillator strength than the charge-transfer exciton. We discuss the possibility of intramolecular singlet fission from the triplet-triplet state, and how such fission can be detected experimentally.

Electronic and Morphological Studies of Conjugated Polymers Incorporating a Disk-Shaped Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Unit

As more research findings have shown the correlation between ordering in organic semiconductor thin films and device performance, it is becoming more essential to exercise control of the ordering through structural tuning. Many recent studies have focused on the influence of side chain engineering on polymer packing orientation in thin films. However, the impact of the size and conformation of aromatic surfaces on thin film ordering has not been investigated in great detail. Here we introduce a disk-shaped polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon building block with a large π surface, namely, thienoazacoronenes (TACs), as a donor monomer for conjugated polymers. A series of medium bandgap conjugated polymers have been synthesized by copolymerizing TAC with electron donating monomers of varying size. The incorporation of the TAC unit in such semiconducting polymers allows a systematic investigation, both experimentally and theoretically, of the relationships between polymer conformation, electronic structure, thin film morphology, and charge transport properties. Field effect transistors based on these polymers have shown good hole mobilities and photoresponses, proving that TAC is a promising building block for high performance optoelectronic materials.

Polyethylenimine (PEI) As an Effective Dopant To Conveniently Convert Ambipolar and p-Type Polymers into Unipolar n-Type Polymers

In this study, we added a small amount of polyethylenimine (PEI) into several ambipolar and p-type polymer semiconductors and used these blends as channel materials in organic thin film transistors (OTFTs). It is found that PEI can effectively suppress hole transport characteristics while maintaining or promoting the electron transport performance. Unipolar n-channel OTFTs with electron-only transport behavior is achieved for all the polymer semiconductors chosen with 2-10 wt % PEI. The electron-rich nitrogen atoms in PEI are thought to fill the electron traps, raise the Fermi level and function as trapping sites for holes, leading to promotion of electron transport and suppression of hole transport. This work demonstrates a convenient general approach to transforming ambipolar and p-type polymer semiconductors into unipolar n-type polymer semiconductors that are useful for printed logic circuits and many other applications.

Synthesis and characterization of π-conjugated copolymers with thieno-imidazole units in the main chain: application for bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells

In this paper the three new narrow bandgap D–A conjugated copolymers P1, P2 and P3 based on different weak donor fused thiophene-imidazole containing derivatives and the same benzothiadiazole acceptor unit were synthesized by Stille cross-coupling polymerization and characterized by 1H NMR, elemental analysis, GPC, TGA, DSC. These copolymers exhibit intensive absorbance in the range 350–900 nm and the optical bandgap lies in the range of 1.50–1.61 eV, which corresponds to the maximum photon flux of the solar spectrum. The electrochemical bandgap derived from cyclic voltammetry varies within the limits 1.47–1.65 eV and is approximately very close to the optical bandgap. The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level of all copolymers is deep lying (−5.24 eV and −5.37 eV and −5.25 eV for P1, P2 and P2, respectively) which shows that copolymers have good stability in the air and assured a higher open circuit voltage (Voc) for polymer BHJ solar cells. These copolymers were used as donors along with PC71BM and the BHJ polymer solar cells based on P1:PC71BM, P2:PC71BM and P3:PC71BM processed from chloroform (CF) solvent with 3 v% DIO as an additive showed an overall PCE of 4.55%, 6.76% and 5.16%, respectively.

Synthesis of π-Conjugated Polymers Containing Phosphole Units in the Main Chain by Reaction of an Organometallic Polymer Having a Titanacyclopentadiene Unit

A regioregular organometallic polymer possessing titanacyclopentadiene units in the main chain, which was obtained by the reaction of terminal diyne and a low-valent titanium complex, was subjected to the reaction with dichlorophosphines to give π-conjugated polymers with phosphole or phosphole oxide units in the main chain. For example, a phenylphosphole-containing polymer was obtained in 76% yield by the reaction with dichlorophenylphosphine, whose number-average molecular weight (M_n) and molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n) were estimated to be 6100 and 1.9, respectively, by GPC. The polymer was found to have an extended π-conjugated system, and its lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy level was remarkably low (-3.28 eV) as supported by its UV-vis absorption spectrum and cyclic voltammetric (CV) analysis. Also, the polymer exhibits orange photoluminescence with an emission maximum (E_max) of 595 nm and a quantum yield (Φ) of 0.10.

Synthesis of conjugated polymers via an exclusive direct-arylation coupling reaction: a facile and straightforward way to synthesize thiophene-flanked benzothiadiazole derivatives and their copolymers

Thiophene-flanked benzothiadiazole derivatives and their copolymers were synthesized via exclusive direct-arylation coupling reactions.

A new highly conjugated crossed benzodithiophene and its donor–acceptor copolymers for high open circuit voltages polymer solar cells

What is theV_oclimit of BDT and DTBT backboned photovoltaic polymers? At least 0.95 V can be achieved.!

Thienopyrrole and selenophenopyrrole donor fused with benzotriazole acceptor: microwave assisted synthesis and electrochemical polymerization

Thieno-/selenophenopyrrole fused substituted benzotriazoles were synthesized by microwave assisted cyclization with reduced reaction times. Electrochemically obtained polymers of the benzotriazoles showed the formation of a polaron and bipolaron with a 0.1 V bias difference.

Optimization of molecular organization and nanoscale morphology for high performance low bandgap polymer solar cells

Rational design and synthesis of low bandgap (LBG) polymers with judiciously tailored HOMO and LUMO levels have emerged as a viable route to high performance polymer solar cells with power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) exceeding 10%. In addition to engineering the energy-level of LBG polymers, the photovoltaic performance of LBG polymer-based solar cells also relies on the device architecture, in particular the fine morphology of the photoactive layer. The nanoscale interpenetrating networks composed of nanostructured donor and acceptor phases are the key to providing a large donor-acceptor interfacial area for maximizing the exciton dissociation and offering a continuous pathway for charge transport. In this Review Article, we summarize recent strategies for tuning the molecular organization and nanoscale morphology toward an enhanced photovoltaic performance of LBG polymer-based solar cells.