Tailoring structure-property relationships in dithienosilole-benzothiadiazole donor-acceptor copolymers

Theoretical Perspective toward Designing of 5-Methylbenzo [1,2-b:3,4-b':6,5-b″] trithiophene-Based Nonlinear Optical Compounds with Extended Acceptors

A series of benzotrithiophene-based compounds (DCTM1-DCTM6) having D1-π1-D2-π2-A configuration were designed using a reference molecule (DCTMR) via incorporating pyrrole rings (n = 1-5) as the π-spacer (π2). Quantum chemical calculations were performed to determine the impact of the pyrrole ring on the nonlinear optical (NLO) behavior of the above-mentioned chromophores. The optoelectronic properties of the compounds were determined at the MW1PW91/6-311G(d,p) functional. Among all of the derivatives, DCTM5 exhibited the least highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO-LUMO) band gap (Eg) 0.968 eV with a high softness of 0.562 eV-1, and hence possessed the highest polarizability. Interestingly, transition density matrix (TDM) findings demonstrated that DCTM5 with an effective diagonal charge transmission proportion at the acceptor group supports the frontier molecular orbital (FMO) results. Additionally, the exciton binding energy values for DCTM1-DCTM6 were found to be less than that for DCTMR and thus, the effective charge transfer was examined in the derivatives. All of the derivatives exhibited effective NLO outcomes with the highest magnitude of linear polarizability ⟨α⟩, and first (βtot) and second (γtot) hyperpolarizabilities relative to the parent compound. Nevertheless, the highest βtot and γtot were obtained for DTCM1 and DTCM6, 7.0440 × 10-27 and 22.260 × 10-34 esu, respectively. Hence, through this structural tailoring with a pyrrole spacer, effective NLO materials can be obtained for optoelectronic applications.

New Unsymmetrically Substituted Benzothiadiazole-Based Luminophores: Synthesis, Optical, Electrochemical Studies, Charge Transport, and Electroluminescent Characteristics

Three new benzothiadiazole (BTD)-containing luminophores with different configurations of aryl linkers have been prepared via Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling Suzuki and Buchwald–Hartwig reactions. Photophysical and electroluminescent properties of the compounds were investigated to estimate their potential for optoelectronic applications. All synthesized structures have sufficiently high quantum yields in film. The BTD with aryl bridged carbazole unit demonstrated the highest electrons and holes mobility in a series. OLED with light-emitting layer (EML) based on this compound exhibited the highest brightness, as well as current and luminous efficiency. The synthesized compounds are not only luminophores with a high photoluminescence quantum yield, but also active transport centers for charge carriers in EML of OLED devices.

Conducting Silicone-Based Polymers and Their Application

Over the past two decades, both fundamental and applied research in conducting polymers have grown rapidly. Conducting polymers (CPs) are unique due to their ease of synthesis, environmental stability, and simple doping/dedoping chemistry. Electrically conductive silicone polymers are the current state-of-the-art for, e.g., optoelectronic materials. The combination of inorganic elements and organic polymers leads to a highly electrically conductive composite with improved thermal stability. Silicone-based materials have a set of extremely interesting properties, i.e., very low surface energy, excellent gas and moisture permeability, good heat stability, low-temperature flexibility, and biocompatibility. The most effective parameters constructing the physical properties of CPs are conjugation length, degree of crystallinity, and intra- and inter-chain interactions. Conducting polymers, owing to their ease of synthesis, remarkable environmental stability, and high conductivity in the doped form, have remained thoroughly studied due to their varied applications in fields like biological activity, drug release systems, rechargeable batteries, and sensors. For this reason, this review provides an overview of organosilicon polymers that have been reported over the past two decades.

Doping-Dedoping Interplay to Realize Patterned/Stacked All-Polymer Optoelectronic Devices

One of the remaining keys to the success of polymer electronics is the ability to systematically pattern/stack polymer semiconductors with high precision. This paper reports the precise patterning and stacking of various polymer semiconductors with the assistance of a molecular oxidizing agent and reducing agent for donor and acceptor semiconductors, respectively. Such doping-induced solubility control methods have been previously well developed; however, practical applications to various optoelectronic devices have been limited. To pattern/stack various polymers in various dimensions, it is important to carefully design not only the doping method for desolubilizing polymer semiconductors but also the dedoping method for recovering the genuine characteristics of each polymer semiconductor. Based on a systematic approach for such a doping-dedoping interplay, various high-performance optoelectronic devices are demonstrated: (1) all-polymer complementary inverter pattern with a high gain of 176, (2) all-polymer planar heterojunction photodiode with green-selective nature and high specific detectivity over 10¹² Jones, and (3) all-polymer ambipolar transistor pattern with balanced hole and electron mobilities. The results of the study indicate the potential of practical application of the doping-dedoping interplay to lateral/vertical patterning of different polymer semiconductors with high precision.

Optoelectronic Properties of A-π-D-π-A Thiophene-Based Materials with a Dithienosilole Core: An Experimental and Theoretical Study

Two A-π-D-π-A thiophene-based small molecules with a central dithienosilole core and dicyanovinyl (DCV) end groups were synthesized. These compounds differ only by the presence of alkyl and alkylsulfanyl chains, respectively, on the thiophene beta positions. Computational data together with the spectroscopic and electrochemical findings (obtained by means of absorption, steady-state/time-resolved emission techniques, and cyclic voltammetry) revealed that both molecules possess low electronic and optical band gaps, broad absorption spectra, and good stability both in p and n-doping states, which make them suitable for optoelectronic applications. In both compounds, the HOMO-LUMO transition involves an intramolecular charge transfer from the electron-donor dithienosilole unit to the two terminal electron-acceptor DCV groups. A marked positive emission solvatochromism was observed for both molecules and was interpreted on the basis of the symmetry breaking in the S₁ excited state. The two synthesized compounds were also compared to their shorter precursors and to similar oligothiophenes to understand how the nature of the building block influences the characteristics of the final materials. Furthermore, it was possible to better understand the contribution of the sulfur atom in modulating the optical properties of the small molecules studied.

Ultrasensitive Photoelectrochemical Assay with PTB7-Th/CdTe Quantum Dots Sensitized Structure as Signal Tag and Benzo-4-chlorohexadienone Precipitate as Efficient Quencher

Herein, an ultrasensitive photoelectrochemical (PEC) assay was developed for the monitoring of microRNA-141 (miRNA-141) based on poly{4,8-bis[5-(2-ethylhexyl)thiophen-2-yl]benzo[1,2- b:4,5- b']dithiophene-2,6-diyl- alt-3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4- b]thiophene-4,6-diyl}/CdTe quantum dots ( PTB7-Th/CdTe QDs) sensitized structure as signal tag and the benzo-4-chlorohexadienone (4-CD) precipitate as efficient quencher. PTB7-Th and CdTe QDs were successively modified on the electrode surface to form a novel sensitized structure with eminent photovoltaic performances and surpassing film-forming ability. The PTB7-Th/CdTe QDs sensitized structure served as signal tag for achieving a strong initial PEC signal. Besides, a tiny amount of target (miRNA-141) could be transformed into numerous DNA products via enzyme-assisted target cycling procedure, which further triggered the formation of a DNA supersandwich structure on the electrode surface for loading abundant manganese porphyrin (MnPP). Thereafter, MnPP as mimetic enzyme could catalyze 4-chloro-1-naphthol (4-CN) to generate 4-CD precipitate on the sensing interface in the presence of H₂O₂, which could efficiently block electron transfer, leading to a significantly quenched PEC signal for determination of miRNA-141. The designed PEC biosensor performed a wide detection range from 0.1 fM to 1 nM with a low detection limit of 33 aM for miRNA-141, which paved a new avenue for highly accurate and ultrasensitive monitoring of multifarious analytes in bioanalysis and clinical diagnosis.

Influences of donor/acceptor ratio on the optical and electrical properties of the D/A alternating model oligomers: A density functional theory study

We adopted an ingenious method that cut out the DA alternating oligomers from the corresponding DA alternating copolymers. From analyzing the orbital compositions of the HOMOs and LUMOs as well as the reorganization energies, we found the level of charge transfer is increased with the increasing of D/A ratio, but ionization potentials and electron affinities show a contrary trend. Moreover, with the greater ratio, the trend in the nearness of two transitions results in broadening the absorption band in the visible range. That is why experimentally improving the ratio is beneficial for the copolymers used as the p-type materials in the BHJ solar cells. This method is impossible to take the real copolymer system, however, it could provide a strategy to avoid the limitation of the theory level and perform reliable result to study the intrinsic properties of DA alternating copolymers, which can provide a guidance to experimental works.

Effects of Internal Electron-Withdrawing Moieties in D-A-π-A Organic Sensitizers on Photophysical Properties for DSSCs: A Computational Study

D-A-π-A dyes differ from the traditional D-π-A framework having several merits in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) applications. With regard to D-π-A dyes, D-A-π-A dyes red-shift absorption spectra and show particular photostability. Nevertheless, the effects of internal acceptor on the charge transfer (CT) probability are unclear. We employed density functional theory (DFT), time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT), and TD-DFT molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the effects of internal acceptor on the photophysical properties of D-A-π-A dyes on DSSCs. Our calculations show the absorption bands of D-A-π-A dyes with strong electron-withdrawing internal acceptors exhibiting significant characteristics of dual CT; the excited electron density is transferred to the internal and terminal acceptors simultaneously. Particularly, the internal acceptor traps a significant amount of electron density upon photoexcitation. The TD-DFT MD simulations at 300 K show that only a small amount of excited electron density is pushing and pulling between the internal acceptor and terminal acceptor moieties; the thermal energy is not high enough to drive the electron density from the internal acceptor to the terminal acceptor. Our study reveals the nature of CT bands of D-A-π-A dyes providing a theoretical basis for further rational engineering.

Mesogenic D–A fluorophores based on cyanovinyl and benzothiadiazole

Synthesized cyanovinyl and BTD based fluorophores displayed LC, Gel as well as optical waveguide and chemosensor properties.

Photoresponsive Transistors Based on a Dual Acceptor-Containing Low-Bandgap Polymer

In this Article, low-bandgap pTTDPP-BT polymers based on electron-accepting pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4(2H,5H)-dione (DPP) and benzothiadiazole (BT) and electron-donating thienothiophene (TT) moieties were synthesized. Phototransistors have been fabricated using ambipolar-behaving pTTDPP-BT polymers as active channel materials. The electrical and photoresponsive properties of the pTTDPP-BT phototransistors were strongly dependent on the film annealing temperature. As-spun pTTDPP-BT phototransistors exhibited a low hole mobility of 0.007 cm²/(V·s) and a low electron mobility of 0.005 cm²/(V·s), which resulted in low photocurrent detection due to the limited transport of the charge carriers. Thermal treatment of the polymer thin films led to a significant enhancement in the carrier mobilities (hole and electron mobilities of 0.066 and 0.115 cm²/(V·s), respectively, for 200 °C annealing) and thus significantly improved photoresponsive properties. The 200 °C-annealed phototransistors showed a wide-range wavelength (405-850 nm) of photoresponse, and a high photocurrent/dark-current ratio of 150 with a fast photoswitching speed of less than 100 ms. This work demonstrates that a dual acceptor-containing low band gap polymer can be an important class of material in broadband photoresponsive transistors, and the crystallinity of the semiconducting polymer layer has a significant effect on the photoresponse characteristics.

Synthesis and Characterization of Polysubstituted Dibenzopyrenes as Charge-Transporting Materials

A new class of benzopyrene-based semiconducting molecules is prepared and characterized. A four-step protocol involving Suzuki coupling and aromatic dehydrogenation reactions renders the new unsymmetrical framework. Introduction of various substituents at the dibenzopyrene framework modulates mainly the optoelectronic properties rather than the packing motif. Single-crystal field-effect transistors fabricated from these materials show a mobility ranging from 0.7 to 3.2 cm²/(V s). The highest mobility, 3.2 cm²/(V s), with an on/off ratio of 10⁴-10⁵ was achieved for 11-methoxy-8-(4-methoxyphenyl)dibenzo[a,e]pyrene.

Self-Enhanced Ultrasensitive Photoelectrochemical Biosensor Based on Nanocapsule Packaging Both Donor-Acceptor-Type Photoactive Material and Its Sensitizer

In this work, a self-enhanced ultrasensitive photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor was established based on a functionalized nanocapsule packaging both donor-acceptor-type photoactive material and its sensitizer. The functionalized nanocapsule with self-enhanced PEC responses was achieved first by packaging both the donor-acceptor-type photoactive material (poly{4,8-bis[5-(2-ethylhexyl)thiophen-2-yl]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene-2,6-diyl-alt-3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b]thiophene-4,6-diyl}, PTB7-Th) and its sensitizer (nano-C60, fullerene) in poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to form a nanocapsule, which significantly enhanced PEC signal and stability of the PEC biosensor. Moreover, a quadratic enzymes-assisted target recycling amplification strategy was introduced to the system for ultrasensitive determination. Compared with other established PEC biosensors, our proposed self-enhanced approach showed higher effectivity, accuracy, sensitivity, and convenience without any addition of coreactant or sensitizers into the testing electrolyte for photocurrent amplification and performed excellent analytical properties for microRNA estimation down to femtomole level with microRNA-141 as a model. Additionally, the proposed PEC biosensor was employed for estimation of microRNA in different cancer cells and pharmacodynamic evaluation in cancer cells. This self-enhanced PEC strategy has laid the foundation for fabrication of simple, effective, and ultrasensitive PEC diagnostic devices, leading to the possibility for early diagnosis, timely stage estimation, and accurate prognosis judgment of disease.

Synthesis of a Conjugated D-A Polymer with Bi(disilanobithiophene) as a New Donor Component

A new conjugated donor-acceptor (D-A) polymer pDSBT2-BT containing bi(disilano-bisthiophene) and benzothiadiazole as donor and acceptor units, respectively, was prepared. The polymer showed a broad UV-vis absorption band at λ_max = 599 nm in chlorobenzene. The absorption band was shifted to λ_max = 629 nm when the polymer was measured as a film, indicating enhanced interchain interactions of the polymer. Bulk hetero-junction polymer solar cells (BHJ-PSCs) were fabricated using pDSBT2-BT and PC₇₁BM as host and guest materials, respectively. Optimization of cell fabrication conditions provided a maximal power conversion efficiency of 3.3% and the following cell parameters: V_oc = 0.86 V, J_sc = 7.56 mA/cm², and FF = 0.51. Although the efficiency still leaves much to be desired, these data underscore the potential of pDSBT2-BT as a high-voltage polymer solar cell material.

Novel dithienosilole-based conjugated copolymers and their application in bulk heterojunction solar cells

A series of silicon containing conjugated polymers were prepared from the novel asymmetrical dithienosilole.

Can fused-pyrrole rings act as better π-spacer units than fused-thiophene in dye-sensitized solar cells? A computational study

Fused-pyrrole rings can be potential π-spacers in dye-sensitized solar cells.

A highly planar fluorinated benzothiadiazole-based conjugated polymer for high-performance organic thin-film transistors

High-mobility and low-voltage-operated organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) are demonstrated by the design of a new fluorinated benzothiadiazole-based conjugated polymer with fluorinated high-k polymer dielectrics. A record-breaking high hole mobility of 9.0 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) for benzothiadiazole-based semiconducting polymers is achieved by the excellent planarity of the semiconducting polymer.

Synthesis of silafluorenes and silaindenes via silyl radicals from arylhydrosilanes: intramolecular cyclization and intermolecular annulation with alkynes

Effective synthetic methods, involving silyl radical intermediates and furnishing silafluorenes and silaindenes via direct Si–H and C–H cleavage in one step, have been developed.

A–D–A small molecules for solution-processed organic photovoltaic cells

The recent representative progress in the design and synthesis of A–D–A small molecules for organic solar cells is summarized.

Theoretical and experimental investigations on the photoconductivity and nonlinear optical properties of donor–acceptor π conjugated copolymer, poly(2,5-(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-alt-2,7-(9,9-dioctylfluorene))

A new donor–acceptor copolymer, poly(2,5-(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-alt-2,7-(9,9-dioctylfluorene) copolymer with high optical limiting efficiency (0.47 GW cm⁻²) and photoconductivity (at 75 V μm⁻¹, the photosensitivity was 289 742).

Synthesis of conjugated D–A polymers bearing bi(dithienogermole) as a new donor component and their applications to polymer solar cells and transistors

Donor–acceptor π-conjugated polymers with alternating bi(dithienogermole) and benzo- or pyridinothiadiazole units were prepared and their potential applications to bulk heterojunction-type polymer solar cells and thin film transistors were explored.

Benzodithieno-imidazole based π-conjugated fluorescent polymer probe for selective sensing of Cu2+

A benzodithieno-imidazole based π-conjugated fluorescent polymer probe shows excellent selectivity towards Cu²⁺ions through fluorescence quenching.

Electrochromic and liquid crystalline polycarbonates based on telechelic oligothiophenes

The triphosgene carbonate synthesis is adapted towards an alternating main-chain rod/coil polycarbonate based on a telechelic sexithiophene oligomer, yielding an electrochromic material displaying morphological behaviour typical of a liquid-crystalline polymer.