Perylene diimde (PDI) derivatives are a promising class of electron-donating semiconducting materials that show excellent electronic and optical properties when assembled in ordered crystalline domains. Integrating PDI moieties in a polymeric structure is desired to improve film forming properties and mechanical stability, but is typically associated with an increase in disorder of the PDI phase that limits electronic properties. Here, we have synthesized polyacrylate containing PDI side chains (PAc12PDI) using nitroxide mediated radical polymerization (NMRP) method, which shows well-ordered crystalline structure in bulk and thin film state. The thermal behavior and crystal structure of the monomer and polymer in thin film are studied on the basis of temperature-dependent grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray diffraction measurement (GIWAXD). Figure 1 shows the GIWAXD results. Sharp and regular diffraction sports that correspond to a monoclinic lattice were observed. We found that the PAc12PDI thin films crystallize in a monoclinic lattice with two populations of ordered domains. The ratio of lattice orientation in parallel and perpendicular directions with respect to the substrate was 97 to 3. The PDI-containing polymers containing crystalline structure in thin film have significant potential for use as n-type semiconductors in solar cells.

Synthesis of polymer with perylene diimide pendant side chains and characterization of its higher order structure

248th National Meeting (2014)

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