Conjugated and redox active polymers and hybrid materials

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This application describes three facets of our research program. The first outlines new synthetic methods and designs of conjugated polymers. The second will discuss projects that merge conjugated organic materials and 2D perovskites. The final section will describe our continuing efforts in the design of polymers for energy storage. These three areas describe a continuum of a program focused on materials chemistry that has involved 58 trainees in the last 6 years, and the ambition to be even more productive in the future. First, I discuss our recent progress in the controlled synthesis of conjugated polymers. In the last 2 years, we have demonstrated new reaction methodologies to produce mono disperse (no dispersity) oligomers in a homogeneous manner using stoichiometric reagents and temperature cycling. Our short-term goals are to expand this method for new monomer types, including the challenging heavy atom variants. In the longer term, we will utilize this method to develop the sequence control of complex conjugated high oligomers. We will study the redox doping of these polymers as well as their self- assembly behaviour. We also plan to collaborate with other groups that are poised to study the ultrafast dynamics and thermoelectric performance of these unique well-defined polymer semiconductors. Second, I disclose some very new and different work in the area of 2D organic-inorganic perovskites. Here, we are building conjugated molecular systems to program the assembly and optoelectronic properties in hybrid solids. In particular, we are using a conjugated molecular bridge approach to wire up the stacks of 2D materials and also provide donor-acceptor dipoles to govern the optoelectronic properties of the entire solid. In the longer term we plan to develop a variety of devices comprising these materials including LEDs, lasers, photodetectors and electrooptic converters. Finally, I focus on the design, synthesis and testing of polymers in energy storage devices. There is no question that the world will need enormous numbers of rechargeable batteries over the next 10 years. Aside from electric vehicles and grid-scale storage, many other uses such as electric aviation, watercrafts, and integrated electronics will emerge and/or grow rapidly during the foreseeable future. I describe two new areas. The first focuses on polymer-based cathodes. The second focuses on unique designs for redox active small molecules, designed for high stability. Overall, these projects are expected create a rich training environment where students and postdoctoral colleagues can learn from one another, share ideas, contribute to each other's projects and enjoy their time in our group. I also delineate many of the plans that my group has initiated to increase our contributions to equity, diversity and inclusion. This includes a group policy on EDI that professes inclusion as an equally important principal to our science goals.