RUI: Developing Organic Photoconductive Materials through Modular Design of Self-Assembling Components

化学系的大分子，超分子和纳米化学项目支持丹尼森大学的Joseph J. Reczek设计，合成和表征新的供体-受体柱状液晶作为有机电子材料。 该方法涉及开发用于生成高度取代的芳香族化合物的合成方法，这些化合物具有自组装成各种有序功能材料的能力。 这些全新材料的光学和电学特性将被研究，用于光电子学和其他光电应用的新型组件。 该项目将在丹尼森大学，一个主要的本科院校从事跨学科研究的本科生群体。 这些学生将接受与化学几个分支相关的尖端技术和仪器的培训，包括有机合成，分子自组装，材料化学和设备制造。 学生将获得团队合作，领导和项目管理方面的经验，以及在当地社区和国家会议上进行科学演讲。 支持的新仪器将广泛影响丹尼森的研究和教学。 拟议的工作可能会对自组装，有机电子材料和光化学领域产生重大影响，同时培训本科生在科学事业和研究生教育中取得成功，并提高社区对替代能源研究的认识。

The Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program in the Division of Chemistry supports Joseph J. Reczek of Denison University in this project to design, synthesize and characterize new donor-acceptor columnar liquid crystals as organic electronic materials. The approach involves development of synthetic methodologies for the generation of highly substituted aromatic compounds with the ability to self-assemble into a variety of ordered, functional materials. The optical and electrical properties of these fundamentally new materials will be investigated towards novel components for photovoltaics and other optoelectronic applications. This project will engage a cohort of undergraduate students in interdisciplinary research at Denison University, a primarily undergraduate institution. These students will be trained in cutting-edge techniques and instrumentation related to several branches of chemistry, including organic synthesis, molecular self-assembly, materials chemistry, and device fabrication. Students will gain experience in teamwork, leadership, and project management, as well as giving scientific presentations in the local community and at national conferences. New instrumentation supported will broadly affect research and teaching at Denison. The proposed work could significantly impact the fields of self-assembly, organic electronic materials, and photovoltaics, while training undergraduate students for success in scientific careers and post-graduate education as well as raising awareness of alternative energy research in the community.