This presentation will describe our research in understanding the roles of dynamic bonds in creating optoelectronic materials. In one series, we create conjugated nanoribbons. These nanoribbons are effective at accepting and transporting electrons. As such, they are efficient electron acceptors in organic photovoltaics, where they boast ~10% PCE for simple spin-cast solar cells. Moreover, their incorporation as the electron transporting material in a perovskite solar cell provides a best in class performance for a non-fullerene electron acceptor. The ease with which these materials can be functionalized and derivatized points to numerous high performance optoelectronic applications. These ribbons also have a very sharp absorption edge, which allows them to function in as ultranarrow band photodetectors in simple spin cast films. In a second series, we present new helicene based PDIs. We can make helical oligomers and polymers from these new building blocks, and these materials have the largest circular dichroisms of any material. In a third series, the presentation will detail our efforts to wind ribbons into conjugated macrocycles. We find that macrocyclization is an untapped tuning knob to improve organic electronic devices. Using this approach, we have created cellular organic semiconductors that feature regular voids in their switchable films. These films are sensitive to gases that fill their interior spaces. These materials form the basis for new types of organic photovoltaics and photodetectors.

Dynamic bonds in twistacenes, helicenes, and macrocycles

256th National Meeting (2018)

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