Charge Transport Simulations in Conjugated Dendrimers

Optical and electrochemical effects of triarylamine inclusion to alkoxy BODIPY-based derivatives

Three new triphenylamine-BODIPY dyads BDPT1–3 have been designed and synthesized.

Prediction of Internal Reorganization Energy in Photoinduced Electron Transfer Processes of Molecular Dyads

A novel theoretical methodology is proposed to estimate the magnitude of internal reorganization energy for electron transfer and charge recombination processes in donor-bridge-acceptor (D-B-A) type molecular dyads. The potential energy surface for each process is plotted for the shortest path by assuming a displaced but slightly distorted harmonic oscillator model. Structural changes occurring upon photoexcitation and ionization were exploited to calculate the activation energies needed for electron transfer reactions with the aid of involved vibrational modes. D-B-A dyads consisting of octathiophene (T₈) paired with three (di)imide acceptors (naphthalene diimide (NDI), benzene diimide (BDI), and naphthalimide (NI)) were studied as model systems for theoretical calculations. It has been found that T₈NDI and T₈BDI possess very low activation energies for both forward electron transfer and charge recombination, and hence the rates for relevant processes should be very rapid. In contrast, the activation energies for such processes for T₈NI were found to be relatively large, and free energy estimations predict that the charge recombination mechanism in T₈NI falls into the inverted regime of Marcus semiclassical electron transfer theory. All of the calculated properties of the dyads are in very good agreement with the available experimental data, suggesting the suitability of the proposed theoretical approach in revealing the photoinduced electron transfer mechanisms of molecular dyads.

Optical and Electronic Properties of Molecular Systems Derived from Rhodanine

Push-pull functional compounds consisting of dicyanorhodanine derivatives have attracted a lot of interest because their optical, electronic, and charge transport properties make them useful as building blocks for organic photovoltaic implementations. The analysis of the frontier molecular orbitals shows that the vertical transitions of electronic absorption are characterized as intramolecular charge transfer; furthermore, we show that the analyzed compounds exhibit bathochromic displacements when comparing the presence (or absence) of solvent as an interacting medium. In comparison with materials defined by their energy of reorganization of electrons (holes) as electron (hole) transporters, we find a transport hierarchy whereby the molecule ( Z)-2-(1,1-dicyanomethylene)-5-[(4-dimethylamino)benzylidene]-1,3-thiazol-4 is better at transporting holes than molecule ( Z)-2-(1,1-dicyanomethylene)-5-(tetrathiafulvalene-2-ylidene)-1,3-thiazol-4.

Design of Assembled Systems Based on Conjugated Polyphenylene Derivatives and Carbon Nanohorns

Promising materials have been designed and fully characterised by an effective interaction between versatile platforms such as carbon nanohorns (CNHs) and conjugated molecules based on thiophene derivatives. Easy and non-aggressive methods have been described for the synthesis and purification of the final systems. Oligothiophenephenylvinylene (OTP) systems with different geometries and electron density are coupled to the CNHs. A wide range of characterization techniques have been used to confirm the effective interaction between the donor (OTP) and the acceptor (CNH) systems. These hybrid materials show potential for integration into solar cell devices. Importantly, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) effects are observed without the presence of any metal surface in the system. Theoretical calculations have been performed to study the optimised geometries of the noncovalent interaction between the surface and the organic molecule. The calculations allow information on the monoelectronic energies of HOMO-LUMO orbitals and band gap of different donor systems to be extracted.

Rational Design of Diketopyrrolopyrrole-Based Small Moleculesas Donating Materials for Organic Solar Cells

A series of diketopyrrolopyrrole-based small molecules have been designed to explore their optical, electronic, and charge transport properties as organic solar cell(OSCs) materials. The calculation results showed that the designed molecules can lower the band gap and extend the absorption spectrum towards longer wavelengths.The designed molecules own the large longest wavelength of absorption spectra,the oscillator strength, and absorption region values. The optical, electronic, and charge transport properties of the designed molecules are affected by the introduction of different π-bridges and end groups. We have also predicted the mobility of the designed molecule with the lowest total energies. Our results reveal that the designed molecules are expected to be promising candidates for OSC materials. Additionally, the designed molecules are expected to be promising candidates for electron and/or hole transport materials. On the basis of our results, we suggest that molecules under investigation are suitable donors for[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) and its derivatives as acceptors of OSCs.

Rational design of multifunctional star-shaped molecules with a 1,3,5-triazine core and different arms for application in organic light-emitting diodes and organic solar cells

A series of star-shaped 1,3,5-triazine derivatives for intended application in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and organic solar cells (OSCs) were investigated theoretically to explore their optical, electronic, and charge-transport properties. Analysis of their frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) indicated that vertical electronic transitions associated with absorption and emission by these derivatives can be characterized as intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) processes. The calculated results show that the optical, electronic, and charge-transport properties of the derivatives are influenced by the end groups and π-bridges present. Our results suggest that the molecules under investigation could serve as donor materials in OSCs and/or luminescent materials in OLEDs. In addition, all of the molecules are expected to be promising candidates for hole- and electron-transport materials. Based on our results, we were able to propose a rational method of designing multifunctional materials for application in OLEDs and OSCs. Graphical abstract A series of multifunctional star-shaped small molecules were investigated as charge-transport and luminescent materials for OLEDs as well as charge-transport and donor materials for OSCs.

A theoretical study on photophysical properties of triphenylamine-cored molecules with naphthalimide arms and different π-conjugated bridges as organic solar cell materials

Theoretical investigations show that star-shaped molecules are expected to be promising candidates for charge transfer and donor materials for OSCs.

Rational design of organoboron heteroarene derivatives as luminescent and charge transport materials for organic light-emitting diodes

A series of organoboron heteroarene derivatives have been designed as luminescent and charge transport materials for OLEDs application.

Theoretical studies on the effect of a bithiophene bridge with different substituent groups (R = H, CH3, OCH3 and CN) in donor–π–acceptor copolymers for organic solar cell applications

The design of a series of D–π–A copolymers.

Rational design of organoboron derivatives as chemosensors for fluoride and cyanide anions and charge transport and luminescent materials for organic light-emitting diodes

The interactions between chemosensors, donor-π-acceptor (D-π-A) dipolar organoboron derivatives, and different (CN⁻, F⁻, Cl⁻, and Br⁻) anions have been theoretically investigated using DFT approaches. Theoretical investigations have been performed to explore the optical, electronic, charge transport, and stability properties of organoboron derivatives as charge transport and luminescent materials for organic light emitting devices (OLEDs). It turned out that the unique selectivity of organoboron derivatives for F⁻/CN⁻ is ascribed to the formation of chemosensors complexes. The frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) and local density of states analysis have turned out that the vertical electronic transitions of absorption and emission for chemosensors and their F⁻/CN⁻ complexes are characterized as intramolecular charge transfer (ICT). The formation of complexes has effect on the distribution of FMOs and the flowing direction of electronic density for vertical transition. The study of substituent effects suggests that the derivatives with thiophene (2), furan (3), and 1H-pyrrole (4) fragments, are expected to be promising candidates for ratiometric fluorescent fluoride and cyanide chemosensors as well as chromogenic chemosensors, whereas derivatives with pyridine (5) and pyrimidine (6) fragments can serve as chromogenic chemosensors only. Furthermore, all the derivatives are promising luminescent and hole transport materials and 2, 3, 5, and 6 can serve as electron transport materials for OLEDs.

Theoretical study of photophysical properties of 1,4-dihydropyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrrole-cored branched molecules with thienylenevinylene arms toward broad absorption spectra for solar cells

A series of oligo(thienylenevinylene) derivatives with 1,4-dihydropyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrrole as core has been investigated at the PBE0/6-31G(d) and the TD-PBE0/6-31+G(d,p) levels to design materials with high performances such as broad absorption spectra and higher balance transfer property. The results show that position and amount of arm affect the electronic density contours of frontier molecular orbitals significantly. The molecule with four arms owns the narrowest energy gap and the largest maximum absorption wavelength, and the molecule with two arms in positions a and c has the broadest absorption region among the designed molecules. Calculated reorganization energies of the designed molecules indicate that the molecules with two arms can be good potential ambipolar transport materials under proper operating conditions.

Design of donors with broad absorption regions and suitable frontier molecular orbitals to match typical acceptors via substitution on oligo(thienylenevinylene) toward solar cells

A series of oligo(thienylenevinylene) derivatives with or without thieno[3,2-b]thiophene analogs as cores and three types substituent has been investigated at the PBE0/6-31G(d) and the TD-PBE0/6-31+G(d,p) levels to design materials with high performance such as suitable frontier molecular orbital (FMO) energies to match those of [6,6]-phenyl-C(61)-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) and its derivatives, broad absorption spectra, higher and balance transfer property, and better stability. The results reveal that fused cores have slight effects on photophysical properties of investigated derivatives. The electron-withdrawing or push-pull substituents result in red shifts of absorption spectra and better stabilities for investigated derivatives. The calculated reorganization energies of designed derivatives suggest them to be good potential ambipolar transport materials under the proper operating conditions. The promising donors for PCBM, bisPCBM, PC70BM, and indene-C(60) bisadduct (ICBA) as acceptors are recommended theoretically for solar cells based on the proper match for FMOs between donors and acceptors. Moreover, we have also predicted the mobility of designed molecule with better performance.