Conjugated oligomers and polymers with functionalized side chains: tuning the pi - pi interactions and the optoelectronic properties

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Helmut Zacharias
• Subject Area: Physical Chemistry of Molecules, Liquids and Interfaces, Biophysical Chemistry
• Term: from 2016 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 332723289

In this project oligomers and polymers based on thiophene containing conjugated building blocks will be functionalized by various side groups. The influence of such specific side groups on the pi, pi stacking and the energy levels will be investigated by optical and two-photon photoelectron spectroscopy. Specifically, we aim to evaluate the roles and influences of different types of side groups for (i) the development of new approaches to tune the assembly structures and optoelectronic functions of conjugated oligomers and polymers, (ii) for the formation of new optoelectronic materials which can be used for different devices including sensors, and (iii) for the generation of two dimensional conjugated systems via chemical reaction or metal ion coordination of the functional groups in the side chains. These goals will be pursued in close collaboration with the Institute for Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ICCAS), Beijing, where the functionalized organic systems will be synthesized. The electronic properties of these systems will be analyzed by (time-resolved) optical and two-photon photoelectron spectroscopy. This last method allows to determine the energetic position of occupied and unoccupied levels. The relative position of singlet and triplet states and the electronic energy transfer between them is of specific interest.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: China
• Cooperation Partner: Professor Dr. Deqing Zhang