Explore Synthesis and Structural Determination of Crystalline Supramolecular Polyaniline Thin-Films and 2D Polyanilines Assisted by Electron Diffraction and TEM Imaging

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Xinliang Feng; Professorin Dr. Ute Kaiser
• Subject Area: Preparatory and Physical Chemistry of Polymers
• Term: from 2019 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 426572620

The development of linear polyaniline conducting polymer into two-dimensional (2D) structure has attracted much attention for electronic devices because of the unique 2D features as well as facile device integration, high charge transport and high-performance stability. However, the achievement of crystalline 2D polyaniline film has remained a challenge due to the lack of rational synthesis methods. The project aims to develop a surfactant-monolayer-assisted on-water synthesis method towards highly crystalline supramolecular polyaniline thin-films and 2D covalent polyanilines (2DCPs) with large-sized crystalline domains (from at least 100 nm to 1 micro meter in size) and controlled thickness (from monolayer to few-layer (<10 L)). By employing designed monomers, we will accomplish optical and energy gap engineering, and conjugation channel densities. Importantly, we will disclose the crystalline structures of 2D polyanilines (e.g. molecular structure, single-crystalline grain size, grain edge/boundary structures) via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization techniques and achieve fundamental understanding on the synthetic mechanism. Furthermore, we will investigate the conductivity properties and establish a reliable structure-electronic property relationship of resulting 2D polyanilines. As the key achievements, we expect to establish a general but reliable synthesis route and develop novel conducting 2D polyanilines for organic electronics.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants