Polyphenylene‐Based Materials: Control of the Electronic Function by Molecular and Supramolecular Complexity

Abstract

Organic electronics is one of the hottest and most exciting research topics today. However, its performance still lags behind that of inorganic‐based electronics. This Progress Report demonstrates that by controlling the complexity of organic molecules at the molecular and at the supramolecular level as well as by choosing suitable processing techniques, the desired function for applications in electronics can be achieved. Our main focus is on polyphenylene‐based nanomaterials, versatile organic molecules that allow access to novel intricate materials. We emphasize the molecular complexity as well as the supramolecular organization and the interfacing of novel organic materials as key guidelines.

Supramolecular Approaches to Graphene: From Self‐Assembly to Molecule‐Assisted Liquid‐Phase Exfoliation

“…Among DSAs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), [204][205][206][207] substituted with various side groups, are the most studied compounds. [102,208] Adsorption of PAHs onto the graphene surface occurs via π-π interactions between the planar π-conjugated surfaces.…”

New advances in nanographene chemistry

“…17, 25 A variety of rationally designed polyphenylene precursors have thus been ''graphitized'' through intramolecular cyclodehydrogenation to provide a number of GNRs with different widths, edge structures and heteroatom doping. 38,39 Comprehensive reviews on the bottom-up chemical syntheses of graphene molecules 9,20,23,[40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48] and GNRs have been reported. 37 Whereas the majority of solution-synthesized GNRs have limited solubility and thus cannot be microscopically investigated, the surface-synthesis protocol allowed in situ visualization of the entire GNR formation process with atomic resolution using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM).…”

Photovoltaic Universal Joints: Ball‐and‐Socket Interfaces in Molecular Photovoltaic Cells

“…[3][4][5][6] Regardless of the type of OPV, either a bilayer [7] or bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) [4] (Figure 1 A), the interface between the hole and electron transporting films is the critical locus for exciton formation and dissociation. [8][9][10][11] In inorganic materials, the interface between two semiconductors is crucially important in determining and controlling the electrical properties of these materials and is controlled by a heteroepitaxial growth of one crystalline material on another. We show here that p-type and n-type organic semiconductors can be designed to have nested shapes that create an epitaxial growth that achieves higher conversion efficiencies and open circuit voltages in these devices to within 10 % of the theoretical limit.…”