Fused electron deficient semiconducting polymers for air stable electron transport

Ada Onwubiko (), Wan Yue (), Cameron Jellett, Mingfei Xiao, Hung-Yang Chen, Mahesh Kumar Ravva, David A. Hanifi, Astrid-Caroline Knall, Balaji Purushothaman, Mark Nikolka, Jean-Charles Flores, Alberto Salleo, Jean-Luc Bredas, Henning Sirringhaus, Pascal Hayoz and Iain McCulloch ()
Additional contact information
Ada Onwubiko: Imperial College London
Wan Yue: Imperial College London
Cameron Jellett: Imperial College London
Mingfei Xiao: University of Cambridge
Hung-Yang Chen: Imperial College London
Mahesh Kumar Ravva: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
David A. Hanifi: Stanford University
Astrid-Caroline Knall: Imperial College London
Balaji Purushothaman: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
Mark Nikolka: University of Cambridge
Jean-Charles Flores: BASF Schweiz AG, RAV/BE
Alberto Salleo: Stanford University
Jean-Luc Bredas: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
Henning Sirringhaus: University of Cambridge
Pascal Hayoz: BASF Schweiz AG, RAV/BE
Iain McCulloch: Imperial College London

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Conventional semiconducting polymer synthesis typically involves transition metal-mediated coupling reactions that link aromatic units with single bonds along the backbone. Rotation around these bonds contributes to conformational and energetic disorder and therefore potentially limits charge delocalisation, whereas the use of transition metals presents difficulties for sustainability and application in biological environments. Here we show that a simple aldol condensation reaction can prepare polymers where double bonds lock-in a rigid backbone conformation, thus eliminating free rotation along the conjugated backbone. This polymerisation route requires neither organometallic monomers nor transition metal catalysts and offers a reliable design strategy to facilitate delocalisation of frontier molecular orbitals, elimination of energetic disorder arising from rotational torsion and allowing closer interchain electronic coupling. These characteristics are desirable for high charge carrier mobilities. Our polymers with a high electron affinity display long wavelength NIR absorption with air stable electron transport in solution processed organic thin film transistors.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-02852-6

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