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Abstract Semiconducting donor–acceptor (D–A) polymers have attracted considerable attention toward the application of organic electronic and optoelectronic devices. However, a rational design rule for making semiconducting polymers with desired thermal and mechanical properties is currently lacking, which greatly limits the development of new polymers for advanced applications. Here, polydiketopyrrolopyrrole (PDPP)‐based D–A polymers with varied alkyl side‐chain lengths and backbone moieties are systematically designed, followed by investigating their thermal and thin film mechanical responses. The experimental results show a reduction in both elastic modulus and glass transition temperature (Tg) with increasing side‐chain length, which is further verified through coarse‐grained molecular dynamics simulations. Informed from experimental results, a mass‐per‐flexible bond model is developed to capture such observation through a linear correlation betweenTgand polymer chain flexibility. Using this model, a wide range of backboneTgover 80 °C and elastic modulus over 400 MPa can be predicted for PDPP‐based polymers. This study highlights the important role of side‐chain structure in influencing the thermomechanical performance of conjugated polymers, and provides an effective strategy to design and predictTgand elastic modulus of future new D–A polymers.
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Manipulating Conjugated Polymer Backbone Dynamics through Controlled Thermal Cleavage of Alkyl Side Chains
Abstract The morphological stability of an organic photovoltaic (OPV) device is greatly affected by the dynamics of donors and acceptors occurring near the device's operational temperature. These dynamics can be quantified by the glass transition temperature (Tg) of conjugated polymers (CPs). Because flexible side chains possess much faster dynamics, the cleavage of the alkyl side chains will reduce chain dynamics, leading to a higherTg. In this work, theTgs for CPs are systematically studied with controlled side chain cleavage. Isothermal annealing of polythiophenes featuring thermally cleavable side chains at 140 °C, is found to remove more than 95% of alkyl side chains in 24 h, and raise the backboneTgfrom 23 to 75 °C. Coarse grain molecular dynamics simulations are used to understand theTgdependence on side chain cleavage. X‐ray scattering indicates that the relative degree of crystallization remains constantduring isothermal annealing process. The effective conjugation length is not influenced by thermal cleavage; however, the density of chromophore is doubled after the complete removal of alkyl side chains. The combined effect of enhancingTgand conserving crystalline structures during the thermal cleavage process can provide a pathway to improving the stability of optoelectronic properties in future OPV devices.
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- PAR ID:
- 10369853
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Macromolecular Rapid Communications
- Volume:
- 43
- Issue:
- 24
- ISSN:
- 1022-1336
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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