Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Polythiophenes Containing Pyrene Chromophores: Thermal, Optical and Electrochemical Properties

Thermochromic Polymeric Films for Applications in Active Intelligent Packaging-An Overview

The need for passive sensors to monitor changes in temperature has been critical in several packaging related applications. Most of these applications involve the use of bar codes, inks and equipment that involve constant complex electronic manipulation. The objective of this paper is to explore solutions to temperature measurements that not only provide product information but also the condition of the product in real time, specifically shelf-life. The study will explore previously proposed solutions as well as plans for modified approaches that involve the use of smart polymers as temperature sensors.

DFT study on some polythiophenes containing benzo[d]thiazole and benzo[d]oxazole: structure and band gap

The content of this paper focuses/shed light on the effects of X (X = S in P1 and X = O in P2) in C11H7NSX and R (R = H in P3, R = OCH3 in P4, and R = Cl in P5) in C18H9ON2S2-R on structural features and band gaps of the polythiophenes containing benzo[d]thiazole and benzo[d]oxazole by the Density Function Theory (DFT) method/calculation. The structural features including the electronic structure lattice constant (a), shape, total energy (Etot) per cell, and link length (r), are measured via band gap (Eg) prediction with the package of country density (PDOS) and total country density (DOS) of material studio software. The results obtained showed that the link angle and the link length between atoms were not changed significantly while the Etot was decreased from Etot = - 1904 eV (in P1) to Etot = - 2548 eV (in P2) when replacing O with S; and the Etot of P3 was decreased from Etot = - 3348 eV (in P3) when replacing OCH3, Cl on H of P3 corresponding to Etot = - 3575 eV (P4), - 4264 eV (P5). Similarly, when replacing O in P1 with - S to form P2, the Eg of P1 was dropped from Eg = 0.621 eV to Eg = 0.239 eV for P2. The Eg of P3, P4, and P5 is Eg = 0.006 eV, 0.064 eV, and 0.0645 eV, respectively. When a benzo[d]thiazole was added in P1 (changing into P3), the Eg was extremely strongly decreased, nearly 100 times (from Eg = 0.621 eV to Eg = 0.006 eV). The obtained results serve as a basis for future experimental work and used to fabricate smart electronic device.

Effect of doped H, Br, Cu, Kr, Ge, As and Fe on structural features and bandgap of poly C13H8OS-X: a DFT calculation

Structural features such as the shape, the lattice constant, the bond length, the total energy per cell, and the energy bandgap (Eg) of C13H8OS-X are studied by the calculating Partial Density Of States (PDOS), and DOS package of the Material Studio (MS) software. Calculations show that the bond length and the bond angle between atoms insignificant change as 1.316 Å to 1.514 Å for C-C, 1.211 Å for C-O, 1.077 Å to 1.105 Å for C-H; bond angle of round one changes from 118.883° to 121.107° for C-C-C, from 117.199° to 122.635° for H-C-C, from 119.554° to 123.147° for C-C-O and from 109.956° to 117.537° for C-C-H. When C13H8OS-X doped in the order of -Br, -Cu, -Kr, -Ge, -As, and -Fe then bond lengths, bond angles between atoms have a nearly constant value. Particularly for links C-X, there is a huge change in value, respectively 1.876, 1.909, 10.675, 2.025, 2.016, 2.014 Å; the total energy change from Etot = -121,794 eV to Etot = -202,859 eV, and the energy band gap decreases from Eg = 2.001 eV to Eg = 0.915 eV. The obtained results are useful and serve as a basis for future experimental research.

Effects of a Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) on Characteristics of Polyaniline Nanoparticles Synthesized by a Solution Plasma Process with an Ar Gas Bubble Channel

The quality of polyaniline nanoparticles (PANI NPs) synthesized in plasma polymerization depends on the discharge characteristics of a solution plasma process (SPP). In this paper, the low temperature dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is introduced to minimize the destruction of aniline molecules induced by the direct current (DC) spark discharge. By adopting the new electrode structure coupled with a gas channel, a low temperature DBD is successfully implemented in a SPP, for the first time, thus inducing an effective interaction between the Ar plasma and aniline monomer. We examine the effects of a low temperature DBD on characteristics of polyaniline nanoparticles synthesized by a SPP with an Ar gas bubble channel. As a result, both carbonization of aniline monomer and erosion of the electrode are significantly reduced, which is confirmed by analyses of the synthesized PANI NPs.

Flexible electrically conductive films based on nanofibrillated cellulose and polythiophene prepared via oxidative polymerization

Industrial ecology, sustainable manufacturing, and green chemistry have been considered platform-based approaches to the reduction of the environmental footprint. Recently, nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) has gained significant interest due to its mechanical properties, biodegradability, and availability. These outstanding properties of NFC have encouraged the development of a more sustainable substrate for electronics. In this context, the combination of NFC and conductive polymers may create a new class of biocomposites to be used in place of conventional electronics which are not optimally designed for use in flexible and mechanically robust devices. In this study, polythiophene was grafted onto nanocellulose surface at appropriate reaction times to obtain a strong, flexible, foldable films with capacity for electrical conductivity. Nanocomposites films were synthesized by a one-step reaction in which a 3-methyl thiophene monomer was oxidatively polymerized onto nanocellulose backbone. The nature of the fabricated NFC films changed from insulator to semiconductor material upon oxidative polymerization.

The biocompatible polythiophene-g-polycaprolactone copolymer as an efficient dopamine sensor platform

Amphiphilic copolymers consisting of an all conjugated polythiophene backbone and sparsely attached oligo-ε-caprolactone side chains have been prepared.

Synthesis of Polythiophene⁻Fullerene Hybrid Additives as Potential Compatibilizers of BHJ Active Layers

Perfluorophenyl functionalities have been introduced as side chain substituents onto regioregular poly(3-hexyl thiophene) (rr-P3HT), under various percentages. These functional groups were then converted to azides which were used to create polymeric hybrid materials with fullerene species, either C₆₀ or C₇₀. The P3HT–fullerene hybrids thus formed were thereafter evaluated as potential compatibilizers of BHJ active layers comprising P3HT and fullerene based acceptors. Therefore, a systematic investigation of the optical and morphological properties of the purified polymer–fullerene hybrid materials was performed, via different complementary techniques. Additionally, P3HT:PC₇₀BM blends containing various percentages of the herein synthesized hybrid material comprising rr-P3HT and C₇₀ were investigated via Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) in an effort to understand the effect of the hybrids as additives on the morphology and nanophase separation of this typically used active layer blend for OPVs.