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Zhang G, Fan S, Hutchinson KL, Chu R, Burn PL, Gentle IR, Shaw PE. Interplay between the Glass Transition Temperature, Analyte Diffusion, and Fluorescence Quenching for Detection of Nitro-Group Containing Explosives Using Organic Semiconducting Films. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:22787-22796. [PMID: 39093837 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c08002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Efficient detection of chemical analytes using fluorescence-based sensors necessitates an in-depth understanding of the physical interaction between the analyte molecules and the sensor films. This study explores the interplay between the thermal properties of a series of triphenylamine-centered fluorescent dendrimers with different glass transition temperatures (Tg) for detecting nitroaromatic explosives. When exposed to 4-nitrotoluene (pNT) vapors, biphasic diffusion kinetics were observed for all the dendrimers, corresponding to Super Case II kinetics, suggesting rapid film swelling during initial analyte uptake. The diffusion kinetics were further analyzed using a diffusion-relaxation model, where a strong Tg dependence was observed for both the initial concentration-driven diffusion phase and the slower film relaxation phase. Additionally, a difference in kinetics between analyte uptake and release was observed. The photoluminescence (PL) kinetics also showed a Tg dependence, with more efficient PL recovery observed for films composed of dendrimers that had a lower Tg. Rapid quenching of over 40% with little PL recovery was seen in the dendrimer with the highest Tg (107 °C), while a smaller quench with efficient PL recovery was observed in the dendrimer that had a Tg close to room temperature. The results highlight the critical role of the thermal properties of sensor films in achieving rapid and sensitive detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanran Zhang
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, The School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Shengqiang Fan
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, The School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Kinitra L Hutchinson
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, The School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Ronan Chu
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, The School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Paul L Burn
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, The School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Ian R Gentle
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, The School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Paul E Shaw
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, The School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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2
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Jiang W, Stolterfoht M, Jin H, Burn PL. Hole-Transporting Poly(dendrimer)s as Electron Donors for Low Donor Organic Solar Cells with Efficient Charge Transport. Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c00520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Jiang
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics (COPE), School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Martin Stolterfoht
- Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 24-25, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Hui Jin
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics (COPE), School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Paul L. Burn
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics (COPE), School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia QLD 4072, Australia
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3
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Loch AS, Stoltzfus DM, Burn PL, Shaw PE. High-Sensitivity Poly(dendrimer)-Based Sensors for the Detection of Explosives and Taggant Vapors. Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alex S. Loch
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Dani M. Stoltzfus
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Paul L. Burn
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Paul E. Shaw
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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4
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Fang Y, Jin H, Raynor A, Wang X, Shaw PE, Kopidakis N, McNeill CR, Burn PL. Application of an A-A'-A-Containing Acceptor Polymer in Sequentially Deposited All-Polymer Solar Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2018; 10:24046-24054. [PMID: 29969224 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b05875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
PNNT has been prepared as a polymeric electron acceptor for organic solar cells. The polymer has an A-A'-A acceptor motif linked alternatively with thiophene and vinyl moieties. The A'-unit is a naphthalene diimide, while the A groups are thiazoles. PNNT films were found to have an estimated electron affinity of ≈4.3 eV and an electron mobility of the order of 10-4 cm2 V-1 s-1. Its relatively low solubility in common chlorinated solvents at ambient temperature allowed the manufacture of sequentially deposited (SD) devices, which were found to have significantly higher efficiency than that of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells containing the same materials. Grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering measurements indicated that the SD films retained the ordering of the individual polymers to a greater extent compared to the BHJ films. The best SD devices were found to have a power conversion efficiency of up to 4.5%, with stable performance under thermal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Fang
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - Hui Jin
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - Aaron Raynor
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - Xiao Wang
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - Paul E Shaw
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - Nikos Kopidakis
- School of Engineering , Macquarie University , Sydney , New South Wales 2109 , Australia
| | - Christopher R McNeill
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering , Monash University , Clayton , Victoria 3800 , Australia
| | - Paul L Burn
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
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5
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Muhieddine K, Ullah M, Maasoumi F, Burn PL, Namdas EB. Hybrid Area-Emitting Transistors: Solution Processable and with High Aperture Ratios. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2015; 27:6677-6682. [PMID: 26400042 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201502554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Revised: 07/23/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Area emission is realized in all-solution-processed hybrid light-emitting transistors (HLETs). A new HLET design is presented with increased aperture ratio, and optical and electrical characteristics are shown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalid Muhieddine
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Mujeeb Ullah
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Fatemeh Maasoumi
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Paul L Burn
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Ebinazar B Namdas
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
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6
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Griffin GB, Lundin PM, Rolczynski BS, Linkin A, McGillicuddy RD, Bao Z, Engel GS. Ultrafast energy transfer from rigid, branched side-chains into a conjugated, alternating copolymer. J Chem Phys 2015; 140:034903. [PMID: 25669410 DOI: 10.1063/1.4855156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We present the synthesis and characterization of a benzodithiophene/thiophene alternating copolymer decorated with rigid, singly branched pendant side chains. We characterize exciton migration and recombination dynamics in these molecules in tetrahydrofuran solution, using a combination of static and time-resolved spectroscopies. As control experiments, we also measure electronic relaxation dynamics in isolated molecular analogues of both the side chain and polymer moieties. We employ semi-empirical and time-dependent density functional theory calculations to show that photoexcitation of the decorated copolymer using 395 nm laser pulses results in excited states primarily localized on the pendant side chains. We use ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy to show that excitations are transferred to the polymer backbone faster than the instrumental response function, ∼250 fs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham B Griffin
- Department of Chemistry, The James Franck Institute, Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Pamela M Lundin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stauffer III, 381 North-South Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Brian S Rolczynski
- Department of Chemistry, The James Franck Institute, Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Alexander Linkin
- Department of Chemistry, The James Franck Institute, Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Ryan D McGillicuddy
- Department of Chemistry, The James Franck Institute, Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Zhenan Bao
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stauffer III, 381 North-South Mall, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Gregory S Engel
- Department of Chemistry, The James Franck Institute, Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
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7
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Geng Y, Ali MA, Clulow AJ, Fan S, Burn PL, Gentle IR, Meredith P, Shaw PE. Unambiguous detection of nitrated explosive vapours by fluorescence quenching of dendrimer films. Nat Commun 2015; 6:8240. [PMID: 26370931 PMCID: PMC4579782 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2015] [Accepted: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Unambiguous and selective standoff (non-contact) infield detection of nitro-containing explosives and taggants is an important goal but difficult to achieve with standard analytical techniques. Oxidative fluorescence quenching is emerging as a high sensitivity method for detecting such materials but is prone to false positives—everyday items such as perfumes elicit similar responses. Here we report thin films of light-emitting dendrimers that detect vapours of explosives and taggants selectively—fluorescence quenching is not observed for a range of common interferents. Using a combination of neutron reflectometry, quartz crystal microbalance and photophysical measurements we show that the origin of the selectivity is primarily electronic and not the diffusion kinetics of the analyte or its distribution in the film. The results are a major advance in the development of sensing materials for the standoff detection of nitro-based explosive vapours, and deliver significant insights into the physical processes that govern the sensing efficacy. Selective standoff detection of explosives is challenging due to the presence of volatile interferents. Here, the authors report dendrimer thin films that display distinct fluorescence responses when exposed to explosives as opposed to common interferents, allowing selective detection of nitrated explosives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Geng
- Centre for Organic Photonics &Electronics, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Mohammad A Ali
- Centre for Organic Photonics &Electronics, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Andrew J Clulow
- Centre for Organic Photonics &Electronics, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Shengqiang Fan
- Centre for Organic Photonics &Electronics, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Paul L Burn
- Centre for Organic Photonics &Electronics, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Ian R Gentle
- Centre for Organic Photonics &Electronics, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Paul Meredith
- Centre for Organic Photonics &Electronics, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Paul E Shaw
- Centre for Organic Photonics &Electronics, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia
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8
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Armin A, Kassal I, Shaw PE, Hambsch M, Stolterfoht M, Lyons DM, Li J, Shi Z, Burn PL, Meredith P. Spectral dependence of the internal quantum efficiency of organic solar cells: effect of charge generation pathways. J Am Chem Soc 2014; 136:11465-72. [PMID: 25089640 DOI: 10.1021/ja505330x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The conventional picture of photocurrent generation in organic solar cells involves photoexcitation of the electron donor, followed by electron transfer to the acceptor via an interfacial charge-transfer state (Channel I). It has been shown that the mirror-image process of acceptor photoexcitation leading to hole transfer to the donor is also an efficient means to generate photocurrent (Channel II). The donor and acceptor components may have overlapping or distinct absorption characteristics. Hence, different excitation wavelengths may preferentially activate one channel or the other, or indeed both. As such, the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of the solar cell may likewise depend on the excitation wavelength. We show that several model high-efficiency organic solar cell blends, notably PCDTBT:PC70BM and PCPDTBT:PC60/70BM, exhibit flat IQEs across the visible spectrum, suggesting that charge generation is occurring either via a dominant single channel or via both channels but with comparable efficiencies. In contrast, blends of the narrow optical gap copolymer DPP-DTT with PC70BM show two distinct spectrally flat regions in their IQEs, consistent with the two channels operating at different efficiencies. The observed energy dependence of the IQE can be successfully modeled as two parallel photodiodes, each with its own energetics and exciton dynamics but both having the same extraction efficiency. Hence, an excitation-energy dependence of the IQE in this case can be explained as the interplay between two photocurrent-generating channels, without recourse to hot excitons or other exotic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ardalan Armin
- Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics (COPE), School of Mathematics and Physics, and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland , Brisbane 4072, Australia
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9
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Zhang X, Zeng Y, Yu T, Chen J, Yang G, Li Y. Advances in Photofunctional Dendrimers for Solar Energy Conversion. J Phys Chem Lett 2014; 5:2340-2350. [PMID: 26279557 DOI: 10.1021/jz5007862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Dendrimers are regularly and hierarchically branched synthetic macromolecules with numerous chain ends all emanating from a single core, which makes them attractive candidates for energy conversion applications. During photosynthesis and photocatalysis, photoinduced electron transfer and energy transfer are the main processes involved. Studies on these processes in dendritic systems are critical for the future applications of dendrimers in photochemical energy conversion and other optoelectronic devices. In this Perspective, the recent advances of photofunctional dendrimers in energy conversion based on light-harvesting systems, solar cells, and photochemical production of hydrogen will be discussed. The electron-transfer and energy-transfer characteristics in light-harvesting photofunctional dendrimers and the regulation of the electron-transfer process and the stabilization of the charge separation state in hydrogen photoproduction are emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Zhang
- †Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Zeng
- †Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianjun Yu
- †Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinping Chen
- †Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China
| | - Guoqiang Yang
- ‡Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Li
- †Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China
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