Abstract Efficient doping of polymer semiconductors is required for high conductivity and efficient thermoelectric performance. Lewis acids, e.g., B(C6F5)3, have been widely employed as dopants, but the mechanism is not fully understood. 1:1 “Wheland type” or zwitterionic complexes of B(C6F5)3are created with small conjugated molecules 3,6‐bis(5‐(7‐(5‐methylthiophen‐2‐yl)‐2,3‐dihydrothieno[3,4‐b][1,4]dioxin‐5‐yl)thiophen‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐dioctyl‐2,5‐dihydropyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐1,4‐dione [oligo_DPP(EDOT)2] and 3,6‐bis(5''‐methyl‐[2,2':5',2''‐terthiophen]‐5‐yl)‐2,5‐dioctyl‐2,5‐dihydropyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐1,4‐dione [oligo_DPP(Th)2]. Using a wide variety of experimental and computational approaches, the doping ability of these Wheland Complexes with B(C6F5)3are characterized for five novel diketopyrrolopyrrole‐ethylenedioxythiophene (DPP‐EDOT)‐based conjugated polymers. The electrical properties are a strong function of the specific conjugated molecule constituting the adduct, rather than acidic protons generated via hydrolysis of B(C6F5)3, serving as the oxidant. It is highly probable that certain repeat units/segments form adduct structures inp‐type conjugated polymers which act as intermediates for conjugated polymer doping. Electronic and optical properties are consistent with the increase in hole‐donating ability of polymers with their cumulative donor strengths. The doped film of polymer (DPP(EDOT)2‐(EDOT)2) exhibits exceptionally good thermal and air‐storage stability. The highest conductivities, ≈300 and ≈200 S cm−1, are achieved for DPP(EDOT)2‐(EDOT)2doped with B(C6F5)3and its Wheland complexes.
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Synthesis of 1,4‐dihydropyrrolo[3,2‐b]pyrrole‐containing donor–acceptor copolymers and their optoelectronic properties
Abstract Donor–acceptor (D–A)‐conjugated polymers have achieved promising performance metrics in numerous optoelectronic applications that continue to motivate studying structure–property relationships and discovering new materials. Here, the materials toolbox is expanded by synthesizing D–A copolymers where 1,4‐dihydropyrrolo[3,2‐b]pyrrole (DHPP) is directly incorporated into the main chain of D–A copolymers for the first time via direct heteroarylation polymerization. Notably, the synthetic complexity of DHPP‐containing polymers coupled with thieno[3,2‐b]pyrrole‐4,6‐dione (TPD) or 3,6‐bis(2‐thienyl)‐2,5‐dihydropyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐1,4‐dione (Th2DPP) comonomers is calculated to be lower compared to many common conjugated polymers synthesized via direct arylation. The electron‐rich nature of DHPPs when coupled with TPD or DPP enables optoelectronic properties to be manipulated, evident by measuring distinctly different absorbance and redox properties. Additionally, these D–A copolymers demonstrate their potential in organic electronic applications, such as electrochromics and organic photovoltaics. The reported DHPP‐alt‐Th2DPP copolymer is the first DHPP‐based colored‐to‐transmissive electrochrome and achieves power conversion efficiencies of ~2.5% when incorporated into bulk heterojunction solar cells. Overall, the synthetic accessibility of DHPP monomers and their propensity to participate in robust polymerizations highlights the value of establishing structure–property relationships of an underutilized scaffold. These fundamental attributes serve to inform and advance efforts in the development of DHPP‐containing copolymers for various applications.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2203340
- PAR ID:
- 10503728
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Polymer Science
- ISSN:
- 2642-4150
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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