Unraveling Inter- and Intrachain Electronics in Polythiophene Assemblies Mediated by Coordination Nanospaces

Strong interchain interactions render unsubstituted polythiophene un-fusible, non-melting, and insoluble. Therefore, control of the packing structure, which has a profound effect on the optical and electronic properties of the polymer, has never been achieved. Unsubstituted polythiophene was prepared in the one-dimensional channels of [La(1,3,5-benzenetrisbenzoate)]n, where polymer chains form unprecedented assembly structures mediated by the host framework. It is noteworthy that the emission and carrier transport properties were drastically changed by varying the number of chains within a particular assembly. The response of the composite to additional guests is also examined as a method to use the composites as low-concentration sensors. Our findings show that the encapsulation of polymer chains in host materials is a facile method for understanding the intrinsic properties of conjugated polymers, along with controlling and enhancing their functions.