TPAHs as energy carriers for OPV devices

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The aims of this proposal are to design and synthesise new singlet fission chromophores, to incorporate them in organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices, and to investigate their performance for solar-to-electricity and electricity-to-solar energy conversions. Singlet fission is a highly sought-after phenomenon to enhance the efficiency of OPVs, but it has been restricted to a very narrow range of structural motifs -predominantly small molecules constituted solely of neutral fused six-membered rings-limiting the scope and flexibility of its development and applications. To date, there have not been any reports that have taken advantage of aromatic cations based on seven-membered rings (i.e., fused tropylium rings) in functional polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This is not only a fundamental area of organic materials that has not been explored, but it also provides a pathway to expand the structural diversity of available singlet fission materials. I will investigate tropylium-fused aromatic hydrocarbons (TPAHs) as a new class of singlet fission chromophore. The inclusion of fused tropylium ring systems has the potential to enhance the electronic, structural, and photophysical properties of PAH materials on account of their diffuse positive charge, redox activity, and negative Gaussian curvature. We aim to explore the potential of these materials as efficient energy carriers in OPV devices.