Polymeric Carbyne Mimics and Main-Group Element-Containing Conjugated Polymers Derived from trans-Enediyne Monomers

化学系的大分子、超分子和纳米化学项目凭借这一奖项资助新墨西哥大学的秦阳博士开发包含碳-碳双键和三键的共轭聚合物。双键和三键使共轭聚合物能够导电。由于共轭聚合物含有数以万计的双键和三键，聚合物的导电性有时可以超过铜或铝等常见金属。在本研究中，构建的导电聚合物不仅含有碳-碳双键和三键，还含有其他化学元素，如硼、硫和磷等。杨教授的策略创造了一种以前从未制备过的新类别的聚合物材料，以改进太阳能电池和发光二极管等下一代光电子设备。更广泛的影响还包括美洲原住民和西班牙裔社区参与研究和教育。学生接受合成化学和聚合物科学方面的培训，并有机会参与可再生能源行业。本项目的重点是合成由反式-二炔单体衍生的聚碳炔类化合物和含主族元素的共轭聚合物。研究活动集中在针对传统材料局限性的非传统共轭聚合物的设计上。开发了一种新的合成方法，系统地合成了含有各种主族元素的聚(杂芳亚乙撑)S。这种材料具有独特的性质，源于常规碳氢化合物材料中没有的杂原子。这种合成方法与传统的金属偶联反应有很大的不同，传统的金属偶联反应只产生含有芳香稠环的共轭聚合物。这一奖项所产生的研究活动预计将影响聚合物合成和光电子学领域。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With this award, the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program in the Division of Chemistry is funding Dr. Qin Yang from University of New Mexico to develop conjugated polymers that contain carbon-carbon double and triple bonds. The double and triple bonds enable conjugated polymers to conduct electricity. Since conjugated polymers contain tens of thousands of double and triple bonds, the polymer's conductivity can sometimes surpass that of common metals such as copper or aluminum. In this research, conductive polymers are constructed that contain not only carbon-carbon double bonds and triple bonds as well as other chemical elements such as boron, sulfur and phosphorous, among others. Professor Yang's strategy creates a new class of polymeric materials that have never been prepared before to improve the next generation of optoelectronic devices such as solar cells and light emitting diodes. The broader impacts also include the involvement of Native American and Hispanic communities in research and education. Students are trained in synthetic chemistry and polymer science and have the opportunity to participate in the renewable energy industries. This project focuses on the synthesis of polymeric carbyne mimics and main-group element-containing conjugated polymers derived from trans-enediyne monomers. The research activities are centered on the design of unconventional conjugated polymers that target limitations in conventional materials. A new synthetic methodology is also developed to systematically produce poly(heteroarylene vinylene)s containing various main-group elements. Such materials possess unique properties originating from the heteroatoms that are not found in conventional hydrocarbon materials. The synthetic methodology significantly differs from conventional metal coupling reactions that yield conjugated polymers with only aromatic fused rings. Research activities resulting from this award are expected to impact the fields of polymer synthesis and optoelectronics.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.