The presence of noncovalent interactions in organic semiconductors has been demonstrated to be beneficial in several applications, resulting in the enhancement of charge transport and device efficiency. Particularly, semiconducting supramolecular polymers resulting from hydrogen-bonding interactions have been proven to increase solar cell efficiency by 50%. Nevertheless, the race for achieving efficiency records, has hampered research focused on solving other fundamental issues. Regarding hydrogen-bonding, no comparative studies have been performed, finding scattered examples in literature with different semiconductors, hydrogen-bonding units and without complete studies including both, the optoelectronic and self-assembly properties. The main goal of our research is to understand the role and impact of hydrogen bonds in supramolecular electronics in order to apply them efficiently in devices. Here we show a comparative study using diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) as a model electroactive segment and how the results obtained are translated into state-of-the-art materials, such as quinquethiophene-rhodanine and isoindigo derivatives. Different families of hydrogen-bonded DPP supramolecular polymers displaying different hydrogen-bonding parameters (position, number, function, chirality) will be discussed, including photoconductivity measurements, charge transport and spin state correlation in real devices. Finally, the results obtained with DPP will be expanded to the state-of-the art semiconductors, showing the results obtained in rhodanine-based systems.

Exploring the influence of hydrogen-bonding in supramolecular electronics: From a diketopyrrolopyrrole model system to state-of-the-art semiconductors

ACS Fall 2021

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