Energy Transfer in New D-π-A Conjugated Dendrimers: Their Synthesis and Photophysical Properties

Semi-Transparent Luminescent Solar Concentrators Based on Intramolecular Energy Transfer in Polyurethane Matrices

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) are spectral conversion devices offering interesting opportunities for the integration of photovoltaics into the built environment and portable systems. The Förster-resonance energy transfer (FRET) process can boost the optical response of LSCs by reducing energy losses typically associated to non-radiative processes occurring within the device under operation. In this work, a new class of FRET-based thin-film LSC devices is presented, in which the synthetic versatility of linear polyurethanes (PU) is exploited to control the photophysical properties and the device performance of the resulting LSCs. A series of luminescent linear PUs are synthesized in the presence of two novel bis-hydroxyl-functionalized luminophores of suitable optical properties, used as chain extenders during the step-growth polyaddition reaction for the formation of the linear macromolecular network. By synthetically tuning their composition, the obtained luminescent PUs can achieve a high energy transfer efficiency (≈90%) between the covalently linked luminophores. The corresponding LSC devices exhibit excellent photonic response, with external and internal photon efficiencies as high as ≈4% and ≈37%, respectively. Furthermore, their optimized power conversion efficiency combined with their enhanced average visible-light transmittance highlight their suitability for potential use as transparent solar energy devices.

An Iterative Divergent Approach to Conjugated Starburst Borane Dendrimers

Using a new divergent approach, conjugated triarylborane dendrimers were synthesized up to the 2nd generation. The synthetic strategy consists of three steps: 1) functionalization, via iridium catalyzed C-H borylation; 2) activation, via fluorination of the generated boronate ester with K[HF2 ] or [N(nBu4 )][HF2 ]; and 3) expansion, via reaction of the trifluoroborate salts with aryl Grignard reagents. The concept was also shown to be viable for a convergent approach. All but one of the conjugated borane dendrimers exhibit multiple, distinct and reversible reduction potentials, making them potentially interesting materials for applications in molecular accumulators. Based on their photophysical properties, the 1st generation dendrimers exhibit good conjugation over the whole system. However, the conjugation does not increase further upon expansion to the 2nd generation, but the molar extinction coefficients increase linearly with the number of triarylborane subunits, suggesting a potential application as photonic antennas.

Aryl-substituted symmetrical and unsymmetrical benzothiadiazoles

The incorporation of a planar anthracene unit lowers the HOMO–LUMO gap and improves the thermal stability of donor–acceptor benzothiadiazoles.

Benzothiadiazole-based D-π-A-π-D organic dyes with tunable band gap: synthesis and photophysical properties

A series of symmetrical D-π-A-π-D molecules based on benzothiadiazole and oligo(thienylenevinylene)s were facilely developed. The investigation of their photophysical and electrochemical properties demonstrated that these compounds exhibited broad absorption covering the whole visible range with appropriate energy levels for light-harvesting donors.

Solution-processed bulk-heterojunction photovoltaic cells based on dendritic and star-shaped D-pi-A organic dyes

A series of D-pi-A organic dendritic and star-shaped molecules based on three various chromophores (i.e., the truxene nodes, triphenylamine moieties as the donor, and benzothiadiazole chromophore as the acceptor) and their corresponding model compounds are facilely developed. Their photophysical and electrochemical properties are investigated in detail by UV/Vis absorption and photoluminescent spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. By changing the various conjugated spacers (i.e., single bond, double bond, and triple bond) among the three chromophores of dendritic series, their photophysical properties (that is, the one-photon absorption range and two-photon absorption cross-section values) are effectively modulated. All D-pi-A conjugated oligomers show a broad and strong absorption band from 250 to 700 nm in thin films. Solution-processed bulk-heterojunction photovoltaic devices using our oligomer as donor and PCBM as acceptor are fabricated and measured. The power conversion efficiency of the devices based on our oligomers continuously increases from DBTTr to TrTD2A as a result of an increasing relative absorption intensity in longer wavelength region by changing the donor-acceptor ratio and conjugated spacers between the donor and acceptor. The power conversion efficiency of the devices based on TrTD2A was 0.54% under the illumination of AM 1.5 and 100 mW cm(-2), which is the highest value recorded based on D-pi-A conjugated oligomers containing triphenylamine moieties and benzothiadiazole chromophores with truxene to date.