Search for Electron-Deficient Semiconducting Polymers to Rival Fullerenes

技术概要：该项目旨在合成一系列新的缺电子半导体聚合物，这些聚合物在电子性质上可以与富勒烯相媲美，用于本体异质结聚合物太阳能电池。 本研究计划通过结构设计、合成和物理研究来建立这些类型的有机聚合物的结构/性能关系。 一系列新的缺电子单体已经被提出，这允许开发三种类型的接受聚合物：1。沿聚合物主链沿着具有四面体原子中心的缺电子聚合物; 2.可以与三氟化硼螯合以形成电荷转移络合物的聚合物; 3.具有平面结构的聚合物。 将对这些聚合物进行详细的结构和物理表征。 标准化的太阳能电池配置将被用作表征材料特性的平台。 这项工作将影响基础聚合物化学和有机电子学。 还包括将这项工作与教育工作相结合的方法，特别是在吸引代表性不足的学生和工业推广方面。为了将太阳能转化为电能，在无机太阳能电池中需要正负电荷传输结，即“p-n结”。 类似地，有机太阳能电池需要p型和n型半导体材料。 近年来，p型半导体聚合物的开发取得了很大进展。 然而，用于有机太阳能电池的n型材料主要依赖于昂贵的富勒烯（C60或C70）衍生物。 该项目计划开发与富勒烯衍生物的性能相媲美或超过富勒烯衍生物的缺电子半导体聚合物，并建立缺电子聚合物的结构/性能关系。 由此产生的聚合物将是替代昂贵的富勒烯的候选者。这些材料在有机电子学中也有广泛的应用。 基础化学的发展将丰富我们对电子接受聚合物和单体的合成的理解。 该项目的成功完成将对多个领域产生影响，包括基础聚合物化学，分子物理学，材料科学和可再生能源。 拟议的工作涉及跨学科的努力，整合化学，材料科学和分子生物物理学，探索新的科学，从而为学生提供广泛的研究和教育机会。将努力吸引代表性不足的少数民族学生。 在这个程序中工作的学生将在有机/材料化学和有机电子材料领域的未来机会做好准备。 所产生的新材料将对可持续能源和电子行业产生影响。

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:This project is aimed at synthesizing a series of new electron deficient semiconducting polymers that can rival fullerenes in electronic properties for applications in bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells. This proposed work plans to establish the structure/property relationship of these types of organic polymers through structural design, synthesis, and physical studies. A series of new electron-deficient monomers have been proposed, which allow the development of three types of accepting polymers: 1. electron-deficient polymers with tetrahedron atomic centers along the polymer backbone; 2. polymers that can chelate with boron trifluoride to form charge transfer complexes; 3. polymers that exhibit planar structures. Detailed structural and physical characterizations of these polymers will be conducted. Standardized solar cell configuration will be used as a platform to characterize the materials properties. This work will impact basic polymer chemistry and organic electronics. Approaches to integrating this work with educational efforts, especially in attracting underrepresented students and industrial outreach, are also included. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:To convert solar energy into electricity, positive-negative charge-transporting junctions, "p-n junctions", are needed in inorganic solar cells. Similarly, organic solar cells require both p- and n-types of semiconducting materials. Much progress has been made in recent years in developing p-type semiconducting polymers. However, n-type materials used in organic solar cells rely mainly on expensive fullerene (C60 or C70) derivatives. This project plans to develop electron-deficient semiconducting polymers that rival or surpass the properties of fullerene derivatives and to establish structure/property relationships of electron-deficient polymers. The resulting polymers will be candidates to replace expensive fullerenes. These materials could also find wide applications in organic electronics. The fundamental chemistry developed will enrich our understanding of the synthesis of electron accepting polymers and monomers. The successful completion of this project will have impact in several areas, ranging from basic polymer chemistry, molecular photophysics, materials science, and renewable energy. The proposed work involves an interdisciplinary effort that integrates chemistry, materials science, and molecular photophysics to explore new science, thus offering a broad spectrum of research and educational opportunities to students. Efforts to attract under-representative minority students will be made. Students working in this program will be well prepared for future opportunities in the area of organic/materials chemistry and organic electronic materials. The new materials generated will have impact on sustainable energy and the electronics industry.