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Whittaker SJ, Zhou H, Spencer RB, Yang Y, Tiwari A, Bendesky J, McDowell M, Sundaram P, Lozano I, Kim S, An Z, Shtukenberg AG, Kahr B, Lee SS. Leveling up Organic Semiconductors with Crystal Twisting. CRYSTAL GROWTH & DESIGN 2024; 24:613-626. [PMID: 38250542 PMCID: PMC10797633 DOI: 10.1021/acs.cgd.3c01072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The performance of crystalline organic semiconductors depends on the solid-state structure, especially the orientation of the conjugated components with respect to device platforms. Often, crystals can be engineered by modifying chromophore substituents through synthesis. Meanwhile, dissymetry is necessary for high-tech applications like chiral sensing, optical telecommunications, and data storage. The synthesis of dissymmetric molecules is a labor-intensive exercise that might be undermined because common processing methods offer little control over orientation. Crystal twisting has emerged as a generalizable method for processing organic semiconductors and offers unique advantages, such as patterning of physical and chemical properties and chirality that arises from mesoscale twisting. The precession of crystal orientations can enrich performance because achiral molecules in achiral space groups suddenly become candidates for the aforementioned technologies that require dissymetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- St. John Whittaker
- Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Hengyu Zhou
- Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Rochelle B. Spencer
- Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Yongfan Yang
- Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Akash Tiwari
- Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Justin Bendesky
- Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Merritt McDowell
- Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Pallavi Sundaram
- Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Idalys Lozano
- Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Shin Kim
- Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Zhihua An
- Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Alexander G. Shtukenberg
- Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Bart Kahr
- Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Stephanie S. Lee
- Molecular Design Institute, Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
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Alaei A, Mohajerani SS, Schmelmer B, Rubio TI, Bendesky J, Kim MW, Ma Y, Jeong S, Zhou Q, Klopfenstein M, Avalos CE, Strauf S, Lee SS. Scaffold-Guided Crystallization of Oriented α-FAPbI 3 Nanowire Arrays for Solar Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:56127-56137. [PMID: 37987696 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c09434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Perovskite nanowire arrays with large surface areas for efficient charge transfer and continuous highly crystalline domains for efficient charge transport exhibit ideal morphologies for solar-cell active layers. Here, we introduce a room temperature two-step method to grow dense, vertical nanowire arrays of formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3). PbI2 nanocrystals embedded in the cylindrical nanopores of anodized titanium dioxide scaffolds were converted to FAPbI3 by immersion in a FAI solution for a period of 0.5-30 min. During immersion, FAPbI3 crystals grew vertically from the scaffold surface as nanowires with diameters and densities determined by the underlying scaffold. The presence of butylammonium cations during nanowire growth stabilized the active α polymorph of FAPbI3, precluding the need for a thermal annealing step. Solar cells comprising α-FAPbI3 nanowire arrays exhibited maximum solar conversion efficiencies of >14%. Short-circuit current densities of 22-23 mA cm-2 were achieved, on par with those recorded for the best-performing FAPbI3 solar cells reported to date. Such large photocurrents are attributed to the single-crystalline, low-defect nature of the nanowires and increased interfacial area for photogenerated charge transfer compared with thin films.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Alaei
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Design Institute, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Seyed Sepehr Mohajerani
- Department of Physics, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, United States
| | - Ben Schmelmer
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Design Institute, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Thiago I Rubio
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Design Institute, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Justin Bendesky
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Design Institute, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Min-Woo Kim
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Design Institute, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Yichen Ma
- Department of Physics, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, United States
| | - Sehee Jeong
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Design Institute, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Qintian Zhou
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Design Institute, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Mia Klopfenstein
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Design Institute, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Claudia E Avalos
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Design Institute, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Stefan Strauf
- Department of Physics, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, United States
| | - Stephanie S Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Design Institute, New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
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Jun YS, Zhu Y, Wang Y, Ghim D, Wu X, Kim D, Jung H. Classical and Nonclassical Nucleation and Growth Mechanisms for Nanoparticle Formation. Annu Rev Phys Chem 2022; 73:453-477. [PMID: 35113740 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-physchem-082720-100947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
All solid materials are created via nucleation. In this evolutionary process, nuclei form in solution or at interfaces and expand by monomeric growth, oriented attachment, and phase transformation. Nucleation determines the location and size of nuclei, whereas growth controls the size, shape, and aggregation of newly formed nanoparticles. These physical properties of nanoparticles can determine their functionalities, reactivities, and porosities, as well as their fate and transport. Recent advances in nanoscale analytical technologies allow in situ real-time observations, enabling us to uncover the molecular nature of nuclei and the critical controlling factors for nucleation and growth. Although a single theory cannot yet fully explain such evolving processes, we have started to better understand how both classical and nonclassical theories can work together, and we have begun to recognize the importance of connecting these theories. This review discusses the recent convergence of knowledge about the nucleation and the growth of nanoparticles. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Physical Chemistry, Volume 73 is April 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young-Shin Jun
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; , , , ,
| | - Yaguang Zhu
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; , , , ,
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; , , , ,
| | - Deoukchen Ghim
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; , , , ,
| | - Xuanhao Wu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut;
| | - Doyoon Kim
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; , , , ,
| | - Haesung Jung
- School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Changwon National University, Changwon, South Korea;
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Zhang Y, Chen A, Kim MW, Alaei A, Lee SS. Nanoconfining solution-processed organic semiconductors for emerging optoelectronics. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 50:9375-9390. [PMID: 34231620 DOI: 10.1039/d1cs00430a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Solution-processable organic materials for emerging electronics can generally be divided into two classes of semiconductors, organic small molecules and polymers. The theoretical thermodynamic limits of device performance are largely determined by the molecular structure of these compounds, and advances in synthetic routes have led to significant progress in charge mobilities and light conversion and light emission efficiencies over the past several decades. Still, the uncontrolled formation of out-of-equilibrium film microstructures and unfavorable polymorphs during rapid solution processing remains a critical bottleneck facing the commercialization of these materials. This tutorial review provides an overview of the use of nanoconfining scaffolds to impose order onto solution-processed semiconducting films to overcome this limitation. For organic semiconducting small molecules and polymers, which typically exhibit strong crystal growth and charge transport anisotropy along different crystallographic directions, nanoconfining crystallization within nanopores and nanogrooves can preferentially orient the fast charge transport direction of crystals with the direction of current flow in devices. Nanoconfinement can also stabilize high-performance metastable polymorphs by shifting their relative Gibbs free energies via increasing the surface area-to-volume ratio. Promisingly, such nanoconfinement-induced improvements in film and crystal structures have been demonstrated to enhance the performance and stability of emerging optoelectronics that will enable large-scale manufacturing of flexible, lightweight displays and solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuze Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA
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