CAREER: Multi-Functional Organic Electronics Through All-Conjugated Block Copolymers

技术概述：有机材料通过使其在以前无法进入的位置，表面和应用中制造，扩大了电子应用和设备的范围和范围。一个常见的例子是有机发光二极管，它广泛应用于商业显示器，并已在柔性、透明和大面积表面上进行了演示。执行一系列功能的能力，包括发光，计算，传感，太阳能转换，能量存储和催化，受到固有无序的限制，特别是在有机半导体之间的界面，以及对发生在这些界面上的光电过程的有限理解。这项工作的中心假设是一种新兴的聚合物材料，称为全共轭嵌段共聚物，可以增强能量和电荷转移，控制纳米级结构，并对有机半导体界面的电子特性有基本的了解。这一假设将通过以下研究目标进行验证：(1)量化结晶、微相偏析和界面能对全共轭嵌段共聚物薄膜微观结构的作用；(2)建立一个提高opv性能的逻辑框架；(3)阐明界面结构和电子性质对有机半导体供体和受体之间电荷转移的作用。这将通过聚合物合成、使用掠入射x射线散射的结构表征、器件制造和测试以及稳态和瞬态光物理测量来完成。非技术概述：有机电子材料广泛应用于轻型LED显示屏和高效、低成本照明等应用。这里提出的工作旨在增加有机电子产品的功能，以实现更雄心勃勃的目标，包括负担得起的太阳能，可打印计算机和可充电电池。这将通过开发能够吸收光、发电和传输正负电荷的新型材料来实现。此外，认识到社区大学培养了大量不同类型的未来科学家和工程师，首席研究员计划建立一个项目，以提高社区大学学生的科学素养，并鼓励他们参与本科研究项目。外展活动将为社区大学学生提供当前研究的知识，熟悉科学写作和期刊出版物，以及团队合作讨论和解决问题。学生还将通过暑期研究提高他们在化学、物理和工程方面的经验。

TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Organic materials broaden the scope and reach of electronic applications and devices by enabling their fabrication in previously inaccessible locations, surfaces, and applications. A common example is organic light-emitting diodes, which are widely used in commercial displays and have been demonstrated on flexible, transparent, and large-area surfaces. The capability to perform a range of functions, including light-emission, computing, sensing, solar energy conversion, energy storage, and catalysis is constrained by inherent disorder, especially at interfaces between organic semiconductors, and by a limited understanding of optoelectronic processes that occur at these interfaces. The central hypothesis of this work is that an emerging class of polymeric materials known as all-conjugated block copolymers can give enhanced energy and charge transfer, controlled nanoscale structure, and fundamental insight into the electronic properties of organic semiconductor interfaces. This hypothesis will be tested through the following research objectives: (1) quantify the role of crystallization, micro-phase segregation, and interfacial energy on the microstructure of all-conjugated block copolymer films, (2) develop a logical framework for improving the performance of OPVs, and (3) elucidate the role of interfacial structure and electronic properties on charge transfer between donor and acceptor organic semiconductors. This will be accomplished through polymer synthesis, structural characterization using grazing-incidence X-ray scattering, device fabrication and testing, and both steady-state and transient photophysical measurements. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:Organic electronic materials are widely used in applications such as lightweight LED displays and efficient, low-cost lighting. The work proposed here aims to increase the functionality of organic electronics for more ambitious targets, including affordable solar energy, printable computers, and rechargeable batteries. This will be accomplished through the development of novel materials capable of absorbing light, generating electricity, and transporting both positive and negative charges. Additionally, recognizing that community colleges educate large and diverse pools of future scientists and engineers, the Principle Investigator plans to establish a program for increasing the scientific literacy of community college students and encouraging their participation in undergraduate research programs. The outreach activities will provide community college students with knowledge of current research, familiarity with scientific writing and journal publications, and teamwork to discuss and solve problems. Students will also enhance their experience in chemistry, physics, and engineering through summer research.