No abstract

The chemical variety present in the organic electronics literature has motivated us to investigate potential nonbonding interactions often incorporated into conformational "locking" schemes. We examine a variety of potential interactions, including oxygen-sulfur, nitrogen-sulfur, and fluorine-sulfur, using accurate quantum-chemical wave function methods and noncovalent interaction (NCI) analysis on a selection of high-performing conjugated polymers and small molecules found in the literature. In addition, we evaluate a set of nonbonding interactions occurring between various heterocyclic and pendant atoms taken from a group of representative π-conjugated molecules. Together with our survey and set of interactions, it is determined that while many nonbonding interactions possess weak binding capabilities, nontraditional hydrogen-bonding interactions, oxygen-hydrogen (CH···O) and nitrogen-hydrogen (CH···N), are alone in inducing conformational control and enhanced planarity along a polymer or small molecule backbone at room temperature.

Natural photosynthetic complexes accomplish the rapid conversion of photoexcitations into spatially separated electrons and holes through precise hierarchical ordering of chromophores and redox centers. In contrast, organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells are poorly ordered, utilize only two different chemical potentials, and the same materials that absorb light must also transport charge; yet, some OPV blends achieve near-perfect quantum efficiency. Here we perform electronic structure calculations on large clusters of functionalized fullerenes of different size and ordering, predicting several features of the charge generation process, outside the framework of conventional theories but clearly observed in ultrafast electro-optical experiments described herein. We show that it is the resonant coupling of photogenerated singlet excitons to a high-energy manifold of fullerene electronic states that enables efficient charge generation, bypassing localized charge-transfer states. In contrast to conventional views, our findings suggest that fullerene cluster size, concentration, and dimensionality control charge generation efficiency, independent of exciton delocalization.

Data and materials availability: All data are available in the manuscript or supplementary information. All materials are available upon request to L.D. Methods Solution-phase synthesis of pure 2D halide perovskite sheets In this study, ten types of pure 2D halide perovskite sheets were synthesized via a quaternary solvent method.

Understanding the mechanisms of lithium-ion transport in polymers is crucial for the design of polymer electrolytes. We combine modular synthesis, electrochemical characterization, and molecular simulation to investigate lithium-ion transport in a new family of polyester-based polymers and in poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). Theoretical predictions of glass-transition temperatures and ionic conductivities in the polymers agree well with experimental measurements. Interestingly, both the experiments and simulations indicate that the ionic conductivity of PEO, relative to the polyesters, is far higher than would be expected from its relative glass-transition temperature. The simulations reveal that diffusion of the lithium cations in the polyesters proceeds via a different mechanism than in PEO, and analysis of the distribution of available cation solvation sites in the various polymers provides a novel and intuitive way to explain the experimentally observed ionic conductivities. This work provides a platform for the evaluation and prediction of ionic conductivities in polymer electrolyte materials.

With the abundant variety and increasing chemical complexity of conjugated polymers proliferating the field of organic semiconductors, it has become increasingly important to correlate the polymer molecular structure with its mesoscale conformational and morphological attributes. For instance, it is unknown which combinations of chemical moieties and periodicities predictably produce mesoscale ordering. Interestingly, not all ordered morphologies result in efficient devices. In this work we have parametrized accurate classical force-fields and used these to compute the conformational and aggregation characteristics of single strands of common conjugated polymers. Molecular dynamics trajectories are shown to reproduce experimentally observed polymeric ordering, concluding that efficient organic photovoltaic devices span a range of polymer conformational classes, and suggesting that the solution-phase morphologies have far-reaching effects. Encouragingly, these simulations indicate that despite the wide-range of conformational classes present in successful devices, local molecular ordering, and not long-range crystallinity, appears to be the necessary requirement for efficient devices. Finally, we examine what makes a "good" solvent for conjugated polymers, concluding that dispersive π-electron solvent-polymer interactions, and not the electrostatic potential of the backbone interacting with the solvent, are what primarily determine a polymer's solubility in a particular solvent, and consequently its morphological characteristics.

Solid-state conducting polymers usually have highly conjugated macromolecular backbones and require intentional doping in order to achieve high electrical conductivities. Conversely, single-component, charge-neutral macromolecules could be synthetically simpler and have improved processibility and ambient stability. We show that poly(4-glycidyloxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl), a nonconjugated radical polymer with a subambient glass transition temperature, underwent rapid solid-state charge transfer reactions and had an electrical conductivity of up to 28 siemens per meter over channel lengths up to 0.6 micrometers. The charge transport through the radical polymer film was enabled with thermal annealing at 80°C, which allowed for the formation of a percolating network of open-shell sites in electronic communication with one another. The electrical conductivity was not enhanced by intentional doping, and thin films of this material showed high optical transparency.

Fluoride ion batteries are potential “next-generation” electrochemical storage devices that offer high energy density. At present, such batteries are limited to operation at high temperatures because suitable fluoride ion–conducting electrolytes are known only in the solid state. We report a liquid fluoride ion–conducting electrolyte with high ionic conductivity, wide operating voltage, and robust chemical stability based on dry tetraalkylammonium fluoride salts in ether solvents. Pairing this liquid electrolyte with a copper–lanthanum trifluoride (Cu@LaF3) core-shell cathode, we demonstrate reversible fluorination and defluorination reactions in a fluoride ion electrochemical cell cycled at room temperature. Fluoride ion–mediated electrochemistry offers a pathway toward developing capacities beyond that of lithium ion technology.