Selenium and tellurium-based organic materials

这份提案描述了我们在创造含有硒和碲的新型材料方面的研究计划，这些材料具有包括太阳能在内的多种应用。首要目标是通过明智地结合金属和半金属原子，将高碳含量的电子材料转变为更好的半导体。我提出了一套新的含碲材料，包括聚合物、石墨烯和分子框架。我们将把这些系统作为固体和电子器件(太阳能电池和晶体管)来考察。该计划的另一部分旨在揭示含硒嵌段共聚物的相行为。我们的目标是合成各种成分，并深入了解聚合物的链长、结构和组成与固态性能的关系。同时，还将合成新的聚合物基元，包括结构中含有硒的圆形和瓶刷型聚合物。在第三个研究重点中，我建议建立一个关于单线态裂变(SF)的计划。SF是有机物独有的过程，其中一个光子的吸收导致两个电荷载流子的产生。这有可能极大地提高太阳能电池的效率。小分子中的SF早在20世纪60年代就已为人所知，而聚合物在最终作为设备实现时将更有用。在这个项目中，我们将制备含有SF小分子结构基元的新型聚合物。我们将利用我们的制造设施来开发太阳能电池，这种电池使用这些聚合物通过SF机制运行。该项目将对能源和材料产生长期影响，并将培训学生从事多学科研究，以便在工业、学术界和政府部门就业。*

This proposal describes our research program in the creation of novel materials that contain selenium and tellurium with multiple applications including solar energy. The overarching goal is to transform high carbon-content electronic materials into better semiconductors through the judicious incorporation of metal and semimetal atoms. I propose a suite of new tellurium-containing materials that include polymers, graphene, and molecular frameworks. We will examine these systems as solids and as electronic devices (solar cells and transistors). Another part of this program is aimed at unraveling the phase behavior of selenium-containing block copolymers. Our goals are to synthesize a variety of compositions and develop a deep understanding of how polymer chain length, structure, and composition relate to solid-state properties. In parallel new polymer motifs will be synthesized including circular and bottlebrush-type polymers that contain selenium in their structure. In a third research thrust, I propose to build a program on singlet fission (SF). SF is a process that is unique to organic matter, where the absorption of a photon leads to the generation of two charge carriers. This has the potential to greatly improve solar cell efficiency. Whereas SF in small molecules has been known since the 1960s, polymers would be much more useful for eventual implementation as devices. For this project we will prepare new polymers that contain the structural motifs of SF small-molecules. We will use our fabrication facility to develop solar cells that use these polymers to operate by the SF mechanism. The project will have a long-term impact in energy and materials and will train students in multidisciplinary research for employment in industry, academia and government. *****************************