TY - JOUR

T1 - Cyclopentadithiophene-benzothiadiazole oligomers and polymers; synthesis, characterisation, field-effect transistor and photovoltaic characteristics

AU - Kettle, J.P.

AU - Horie, M.

AU - Kettle, J.

AU - Yu, C.Y.

AU - Majewski, L.A.

AU - Chang, S.W.

AU - Kirkpatrick, J.

AU - Tuladhar, S.M.

AU - Nelson, J.

AU - Saunders, B.R.

AU - Turner, M.L.

PY - 2012/2/1

Y1 - 2012/2/1

N2 - Conjugated oligomers with various ratios of cyclopentadithiophene (CPDT) to benzothiadiazole (BT) repeating units are reported. These oligomers can be polymerised to high molecular weight polymers (Mn > 100k) by oxidative polymerisation using iron(III)chloride. The electronic properties of these materials were examined by cyclic voltammetry and UV-vis spectroscopy and the results compared to those calculated using density functional theory (DFT). Polymers with optimum ratios of CPDT : BT (2 : 1) units show hole mobilities in excess of 10−2 cm2 V−1 s−1 as the active layer in organic field effect transistors (OFETs). Bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices of these polymers with PCBM as the electron acceptor show a power conversion efficiency of 2.1% when processed in the absence of any additives. The reported OFET performance is significantly higher than the parent PCPDTBT alternating copolymer (CPDT : BT = 1 : 1) and also shows a moderate improvement in OPV performance.

AB - Conjugated oligomers with various ratios of cyclopentadithiophene (CPDT) to benzothiadiazole (BT) repeating units are reported. These oligomers can be polymerised to high molecular weight polymers (Mn > 100k) by oxidative polymerisation using iron(III)chloride. The electronic properties of these materials were examined by cyclic voltammetry and UV-vis spectroscopy and the results compared to those calculated using density functional theory (DFT). Polymers with optimum ratios of CPDT : BT (2 : 1) units show hole mobilities in excess of 10−2 cm2 V−1 s−1 as the active layer in organic field effect transistors (OFETs). Bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices of these polymers with PCBM as the electron acceptor show a power conversion efficiency of 2.1% when processed in the absence of any additives. The reported OFET performance is significantly higher than the parent PCPDTBT alternating copolymer (CPDT : BT = 1 : 1) and also shows a moderate improvement in OPV performance.

U2 - 10.1039/C1JM12449H

DO - 10.1039/C1JM12449H

M3 - Article

VL - 22

SP - 381

EP - 389

JO - Journal of Materials Chemistry

JF - Journal of Materials Chemistry

SN - 0959-9428

IS - 2

ER -