Synthesis and Electron-Transporting Properties of N-Type Polymers with Cardanol-Based Side Chains

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Organic Electronics
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• N-type organic semiconductors are crucial for electronic devices.
• Developing polymers with high electron mobility is an ongoing challenge.
• Cardanol, a bio-based phenolic lipid, offers potential for functional side chains.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel n-type polymers with cardanol-based side chains.
• To investigate the effect of cardanol side chains on polymer properties, particularly electron mobility.
• To understand the structure-property relationships governing enhanced performance.

Main Methods:

• Stille coupling polymerization was employed for polymer synthesis.
• Characterization included UV-vis spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD).
• Surface morphology was analyzed using atomic force microscopy (AFM).

Main Results:

• Two n-type polymers, P(NDI2OD-T2) and P(NDICL-T2), were successfully synthesized.
• Replacing 2-octyldodecyl with cardanol in P(NDICL-T2) significantly improved electron mobility.
• Cardanol incorporation led to lower glass transition temperature, red-shifted absorption, tighter lamellar spacing, enhanced molecular ordering, and smoother surface morphology.

Conclusions:

• Cardanol-based side chains enhance electron mobility in n-type polymers.
• Increased chain flexibility and ordered packing contribute to improved electronic performance.
• The synthesized polymers demonstrate potential for advanced organic electronic applications.