Small molecular non-fullerene electron acceptors for P3HT-based bulk-heterojunction solar cells

Three small molecules with the same arms and different cores of perylene diimide(PDI)or indaceno[2,1-b:6,5-b']dithiophene(IDT)were designed and synthesized as the acceptor materials for P3HT-based bulk-heterojunction(BHJ)solar cells.The impacts of the different cores on the optical absorption,electrochemical properties,electron mobility,film morphology,photoluminescene characteristics,and solar cell performance were thoroughly studied.The three compounds possess a broad absorption covering the wavelength range of 400–700 nm and relatively low lowest unoccupied molecular orbital(LUMO)energy levels of?3.86,?3.81 and?3.99 eV.The highest power conversion efficiency of 0.82%was achieved for the BHJ solar cells based on SM3 as the acceptor material,the compound with a PDI core.     

Synthesis, spectroscopic, and electrochemical properties of three tetrathiafulvalenes attached to perylene

Three donor–acceptor dyads 1–3 comprising of a tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) unit linked with perylene by a simple σ-bond were synthesized and characterized. Spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry provided an indication that intramolecular charge-transfer interactions in their ground states between TTF and perylene for dyads 1–3 are negligible. Compared with the compound perylene, dyads 1–3 exhibited large fluorescence quenching, which might be ascribed to photo-induced electron transfer interaction between TTF and perylene units in the excited state. Correspondence: Yongjia Shen, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Institute of Fine Chemicals, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P.R. China.     

Amphiphilic Fluorescence Resonance Energy-Transfer Dyes: Synthesis,Fluorescence, and Aggregation Behavior in Water

Amphiphilic pyrene/perylene bis-chromophore dyes were synthesized from unsymmetrically substituted perylene bisimide dyes, which were obtained through three synthetic methods. The optical and aggregation behaviors of these functional dyes were studied by means of UV/Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and TEM. These dyes are highly fluorescent and cover the whole visible-light region. A donor/acceptor dye displays intramolecular fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), with a high efficiency of up to 96.4 % from pyrene to perylene bisimide chromophores, which leads to a high fluorescence color sensitivity to environmental polarity. Under a λ=365 nm UV lamp, the light-emitting colors of the donor/acceptor dye change from green to yellow with increasing solvent polarity, which demonstrates application potential as a new class of FERT probes. The donor/acceptor dye in water was assembled into hollow vesicles with a narrow size distribution. The bilayer structure of the vesicular wall was directly observed by means of TEM. These vesicular aggregates in water are fluorescent at λ=650–850 nm within the near-infrared region.     

Synthesis of n-type conjugated polymers for bulk heterojunction solar cells

A new conjugated alternating donor-acceptor copolymer is synthesized from perylene diimide and the benzodithiophene derivative via the Suzuki reaction. Temperatures corresponding to the 10% weight loss of the copolymer in air and argon are 336 and 362°C. The copolymer is soluble in common organic solvents. The maxima of absorption spectra of the copolymer in chloroform solution and thin films are at 456 and 567 and at 444 and 567 nm, respectively. The optical band gap, as calculated from the onset of the absorption spectrum, is 1.74 eV, and the electrochemical band gap is 1.89 eV. The energies of HOMO and LUMO derived from the onset of the first oxidation and reduction potential of the cyclic voltamperogram are ?5.97 and ?4.08 eV. It is found that the solar cell with copolymer-to-poly(3-hexylthiophene) = 1: 1 features the best characteristics: The open circuit voltage is 0.54 V, the short circuit current is 0.976 mA/cm², the fill factor is 0.397, and the efficiency is 0.14%. The conjugated polymer based on perylene diimide belongs to the class of n-type polymers and shows promise as an acceptor material for all-polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells.     

Photoinduced Charge Separation in a Donor–Spacer–Acceptor Dyad with N‐Annulated Perylene Donor and Methylviologen Acceptor

The first donor–acceptor species in which a strongly emissive N‐annulated perylene dye is connected to a methylviologen electron acceptor unit via its macrocyclic nitrogen atom, is prepared by a stepwise, modular procedure. The absorption spectra, redox behavior, spectroelectrochemistry and photophysical properties of this dyad and of its model species are investigated, also by pump–probe fs transient absorption spectroscopy. Photoinduced oxidative electron transfer from the excited state of the dyad, centered on the N‐annulated perylene subunit, to the appended methyviologen electron acceptor takes place in a few ps. The charge‐separated species recombines in 19 ps. Our results indicate that N‐annulated perylene can be connected to functional units by taking advantage of the macrocyclic nitrogen, an option never used until now, without losing their properties, so opening the way to new designing approaches.     

Long-Lived Triplet Excited State Accessed with Spin–Orbit Charge Transfer Intersystem Crossing in Red Light-Absorbing Phenoxazine-Styryl BODIPY Electron Donor/Acceptor Dyads

Orthogonal phenoxazine-styryl BODIPY compact electron donor/acceptor dyads were prepared as heavy atom-free triplet photosensitizers (PSs) with strong red light absorption (ϵ=1.33×10⁵ M⁻¹ cm⁻¹ at 630 nm), whereas the previously reported triplet photosensitizers based on the spin-orbit charge transfer intersystem crossing (SOCT-ISC) mechanism show absorption in a shorter wavelength range (<500 nm). More importantly, a long-lived triplet state (τ_T=333 μs) was observed for the new dyads. In comparison, the triplet state lifetime of the same chromophore accessed with the conventional heavy atom effect (HAE) is much shorter (τ_T=1.8 μs). Long triplet state lifetime is beneficial to enhance electron or energy transfer, the primary photophysical processes in the application of triplet PSs. Our approach is based on SOCT-ISC, without invoking of the HAE, which may shorten the triplet state lifetime. We used bisstyrylBodipy both as the electron acceptor and the visible light-harvesting chromophore, which shows red-light absorption. Femtosecond transient absorption spectra indicated the charge separation (109 ps) and SOCT-ISC (charge recombination, CR; 2.3 ns) for BDP-1 . ISC efficiency of BDP-1 was determined as Φ_T=25 % (in toluene). The dyad BDP-3 was used as triplet PS for triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion (upconversion quantum yield Φ_UC=1.5 %; anti-Stokes shift is 5900 cm⁻¹).     

不同氟取代基对苝酰亚胺电子迁移率的影响

利用空间电荷限制电流(SCLC)法测试了二种氟代苝酰亚胺的电子迁移率, 一种是N,N'-二(五氟代苯基)-3,4,9,10-苝四羧基二酰亚胺(1), 另一种是N,N'-二(1,1-二氢十五氟代辛基)-3,4,9,10-苝四羧基二酰亚胺(2). 结果发现, 化合物2的电子迁移率要比1高1～2个数量级. UV-Vis, XRD, SEM和AFM等表征手段证明, 这一现象可以用不同的氟取代基导致不同的聚集态结构来解释: 对于化合物1而言, 苯环平面与苝环平面之间存在大的夹角, 破坏了苝酰亚胺分子的平面性, 再加上刚性的氟代苯环大的空间位阻作用, 化合物1分子无法依靠相邻苝环之间的重叠排列而结晶, 只能无序堆积形成非晶膜; 与之相反, 在化合物2分子中苝环上的端基是柔性的锯齿状氟代烷基链, 空间位阻小, 化合物2分子能通过相邻苝环之间相互接近而形成的π-π偶合作用而结晶, 因此有利于电子在苝酰亚胺分子间的跳跃传输.     

Synthesis and photovoltaic properties of low bandgap dimeric perylene diimide based non-fullerene acceptors

Non-fullerene organic acceptors have attracted increasing attention in recent years. One of the challenges in the synthesis of non-fullerene organic acceptors is to tune the absorption spectrum and molecular frontier orbitals, affording low bandgap molecules with improved absorption of the near-infrared solar photons. In this paper, we present the synthesis, optoelectronic and photovoltaic properties of a series of dimeric perylene diimide(PDI) based non-fullerene acceptors. These PDI dimers are bridged by oligothiophene(T) from 1T to 6T. With the increase of the oligothienyl size, the highest occupied molecular orbital(HOMO) energy is raised from ?5.65 to ?5.10 e V, while that of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbit(LUMO) is kept constant at ?3.84 e V, affording narrow bandgap from 1.81 to 1.26 e V. The absorption from the oligothiophene occurs between 350 and 500 nm, which is complementary to that from its bridged PDI units, leading to a wide spectral coverage from 350 to 850 nm. The optimal dihedral angle between the bridged two perylene planes is dependent on the oligothienyl size, varying from 5° to 30°. The solubility of the dimers depends on the oligothienyl size and can be tuned by the alkyl chains on the bridged thienyl units. The possible applications as the solution-processable non-fullerene organic acceptor is primarily studied using commercial P3 HT as the blend donor. The photovoltaic results indicate that 1T, 4T and 6T all yield a higher efficiency of ?1.2%, whereas 2T, 3T and 5T all give a lower efficiency of 0.5%. The difference in the cell performance is related with the tradeoff between the differences of absorption, HOMO level and film-morphology between these dimers.     

One-dimensional exciton diffusion in perylene bisimide aggregates

The dynamics and mobility of excitons in J-aggregates of perylene bisimides are investigated by transient absorption spectroscopy with a time resolution of 50 fs. The transient spectra are compatible with an exciton delocalization length of two monomers and indicate that vibrational and configurational relaxation processes are not relevant for the spectroscopic properties of the aggregates. Increasing the pump pulse energy and in that way the initial exciton density results in an accelerated signal decay and pronounced exciton-exciton annihilation dynamics. Modeling the data by assuming a diffusive exciton motion reveals that the excitons cannot migrate freely in all three directions of space but their mobility is restricted to one dimension. The observed anisotropy supports this picture and points against direct Fo?rster-transfer-mediated annihilation between the excitons. A diffusion constant of 1.29 nm(2)/ps is deduced from the fitting procedure that corresponds to a maximal exciton diffusion length of 96 nm for the measured exciton lifetime of 3.6 ns. The findings indicate that J-aggregates of perylene bisimides are promising building blocks to facilitate directed energy transport in optoelectronic organic devices or artificial light-harvesting systems.     

Efficient Light-Harvesting Antennae Resulting from the Dense Organization of Dyes into DNA Junctions through d-Threoninol

Herein we report the construction of efficient light-harvesting antennae by hybridization of DNA oligonucleotides containing high densities of fluorophores into DNA junctions through d -threoninol. Six pyrene donors could be incorporated into each arm without self-quenching. A perylene acceptor was located at the center of the junction. Antenna effects of a duplex and three- to eight-way junctions were systematically compared. Six- and eight-way junctions had the highest antenna effects, and their effective absorption coefficients were 8.5 times higher than that of perylene. Interestingly, even-numbered junctions had higher efficiencies than odd-numbered junctions. Nondenaturing gel analyses and fluorescence lifetime measurements demonstrated that the strong odd–even effects were derived from differences in the stability of junctions. The results presented will guide the design of efficient artificial photosynthetic systems.     

Zn(II)-containing metallo-supramolecular polymers: synthesis,photophysical and electrochemical properties

Abstract

Two novel building blocks M1, M2 with different electronic structures, were synthesized based on 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine modified with cyano-p-phenylenevinylene (CN-PV) and carbazole moieties through Knoevenagel condensation and Suzuki coupling, respectively. Directed by transition metal ion Zn²⁺, the metallo-homopolymers P1, P2 and metallo-copolymer P3 were obtained via self-assembly polymerization. The structures of the monomers and metallo-supramolecular polymers were fully characterized by MS, ¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR. Meanwhile, the UV–vis absorption, photoluminescence (PL) and electrochemical properties of these compounds were systematically investigated. With respect to that of the monomers, both the UV–vis absorption and PL spectra of the polymers are significantly red-shifted. The resulting metallo-supramolecular polymers show similar double absorption peaks (342, 418?nm for P1, 339, 410?nm for P2, and 332, 412?nm for P3), which is caused by the π–π* transition and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT). Further, all the polymers display red-orange emission in toluene and narrow electrochemical energy gaps of 1.46, 1.65 and 1.48?eV for P1, P2, and P3, respectively.     

Synthesis,One‐ and Two‐Photon Photophysical and Excited‐State Properties,and Sensing Application of a New Phosphorescent Dinuclear Cationic Iridium(III) Complex

A new phosphorescent dinuclear cationic iridium(III) complex ( Ir1 ) with a donor–acceptor–π‐bridge–acceptor–donor (D? A? π? A? D)‐conjugated oligomer ( L1 ) as a N^N ligand and a triarylboron compound as a C^N ligand has been synthesized. The photophysical and excited‐state properties of Ir1 and L1 were investigated by UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and molecular‐orbital calculations, and they were compared with those of the mononuclear iridium(III) complex [Ir(Bpq)₂(bpy)]⁺PF₆^? ( Ir0 ). Compared with Ir0 , complex Ir1 shows a more‐intense optical‐absorption capability, especially in the visible‐light region. For example, complex Ir1 shows an intense absorption band that is centered at λ=448 nm with a molar extinction coefficient (ε) of about 10⁴, which is rarely observed for iridium(III) complexes. Complex Ir1 displays highly efficient orange–red phosphorescent emission with an emission wavelength of 606 nm and a quantum efficiency of 0.13 at room temperature. We also investigated the two‐photon‐absorption properties of complexes Ir0 , Ir1 , and L1 . The free ligand ( L1 ) has a relatively small two‐photon absorption cross‐section (δ_max=195 GM), but, when complexed with iridium(III) to afford dinuclear complex Ir1 , it exhibits a higher two‐photon‐absorption cross‐section than ligand L1 in the near‐infrared region and an intense two‐photon‐excited phosphorescent emission. The maximum two‐photon‐absorption cross‐section of Ir1 is 481 GM, which is also significantly larger than that of Ir0 . In addition, because the strong B? F interaction between the dimesitylboryl groups and F^? ions interrupts the extended π‐conjugation, complex Ir1 can be used as an excellent one‐ and two‐photon‐excited “ON–OFF” phosphorescent probe for F^? ions.     

Energy transfer in calixarene-based cofacial-positioned perylene bisimide arrays

The synthesis of multichromophoric perylene bisimide-calix[4]arene arrays with up to five perylene units (containing orange, violet, and green perylene bisimide chromophores) and of monochromophoric model compounds was achieved by subsequent imidization of mono-Boc functionalized calix[4]arene linkers with three different types of perylene bisimide dye units. The optical properties of all compounds were studied with UV/vis absorption and steady state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Upon excitation of the inner orange dye at 490 nm of array 3, strong fluorescence emission of the outer green perylene bisimide (PBI) chromophore at 744 nm is observed. The fluorescence excitation spectra of compounds 3 and 4 (lambdadet = 850 nm) show all absorption bands of the parent chromophores (e.g., all perylene units contribute to the emission from S1 state of the green PBI). Thus, the fluorescence emission and excitation spectra as well as time-resolved data of fluorescence lifetimes in the absence (tauD = 5.1 ns) and in the presence of an acceptor (tauDA = 0.8 ns) suggest efficient energy transfer processes between the perylene bisimide dye units. For the bichromophoric array 4, the energy transfer rate is calculated to a value of 1.05 x 109 s-1. These results demonstrate highly efficient energy transfer in cofacially assembled dye arrays.     

一种双功能异噁唑酰腙的晶体结构、电子光谱、抑菌活性及其量化计算

以水杨醛和5-甲基-4-异噁唑甲酰肼为原料,于中温混合溶剂热体系中合成出标题化合物水杨醛-5-甲基-4-异噁唑甲酰腙[C12H11O3N3,3],用单晶X-射线衍射(XRD)、紫外及荧光和热重分析等实验方法对其进行了表征。结果表明,晶体属正交晶系,Pna21空间群。晶胞参数:a=1.28783(6)nm,b=1.13108(6)nm,c=0.86535(4)nm,V=1.2605nm3,Z=4。标题物3的水溶液在486nm处呈现一强蓝色荧光发射峰,可归属于激发态分子内质子转移电荷发光;同时,标题物3对枯草芽孢杆菌、铜绿脓杆菌、大肠杆菌和金黄色葡萄球菌等都有明显的抑菌活性;分子的静电势图(EPM)再现其具有较强的广谱抗菌活性。     

An Efficient Near-Infrared Emissive Artificial Supramolecular Light-Harvesting System for Imaging in the Golgi Apparatus

Light-harvesting systems are an important way for capturing, transferring and utilizing light energy. It remains a key challenge to develop highly efficient artificial light-harvesting systems. Herein, we report a supramolecular co-assembly based on lower-rim dodecyl-modified sulfonatocalix[4]arene (SC4AD) and naphthyl-1,8-diphenyl pyridinium derivative (NPS) as a light-harvesting platform. NPS as a donor shows significant aggregation induced emission enhancement (AIEE) after assembling with SC4AD. Upon introduction of Nile blue (NiB) as an acceptor into the NPS-SC4AD co-assembly, the light-harvesting system becomes near-infrared (NIR) emissive (675 nm). Importantly, the NIR emitting NPS-SC4AD-NiB system exhibits an ultrahigh antenna effect (33.1) at a high donor/acceptor ratio (250:1). By co-staining PC-3 cells with a Golgi staining reagent, NBD C₆-ceramide, NIR imaging in the Golgi apparatus has been demonstrated using these NIR emissive nanoparticles.     

Terpyridine Based Heteroleptic Ruthenium Complexes: Influence of Donor and Acceptor Ligands in Photosensitization

We report heteroleptic ruthenium complexes of terpyridine (tpy) ligands with directly linked carboxylic acid anchors. These complexes feature methyl or methoxy-substituted ^4′−Phtpy as donor ligands. We prepared these heteroleptic complexes from the ruthenium (II) precursor via a milder route to preclude the homoleptic complex formation. The donor−acceptor arrangement of tpy ligands in these ruthenium complexes renders visible light absorption giving metal and ligand-to-ligand charge transfer excitations at c.a. 490 nm. We evaluate the effect of the tpy donor substituents on the light-harvesting ability in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) and compare their photosensitizing ability with heteroleptic complexes bearing phenyl spacer at the acceptor end. Further, scrutinizing their photovoltaic performance, we studied their electron transfer kinetics in DSSCs using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. This paper presents the structure-photosensitization relationship of these heteroleptic ruthenium complexes through a combined experimental and computational approach.     

Synthesis,characterization, luminescence,antibacterial, and catalytic activities of a palladium(II) complex involving a Schiff base

A new Pd(II) complex of fluorine-containing Schiff base ligand, [Pd₂(L)₂Cl₂] (1) [L?=?N-(4-fluorobenzylidene)-2,6-diethylbenzenamine], has been synthesized using solvothermal method and characterized by elemental analysis, IR-spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, UV–vis absorption spectra, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Complex 1 is a μ-chloro-bridged dinuclear cyclometallated Pd(II) complex. Thermal analysis indicates that 1 is quite stable to heat. 1 exhibits quadruple emissions in the solid state (λ _max?=?766?nm) and possesses fluorescence lifetimes (τ ₁?=?87.20?ns, τ ₂?=?190.45?ns, and τ ₃?=?1805.10?ns at 616?nm); broad structureless bands at 690–800?nm are tentatively assigned to an excimeric ³IL transition. The Schiff base (L) and its palladium(II) compound (1) have been screened for their antibacterial activity against several bacteria, and the results are compared with the activity of penicillin. Moreover, 1 has been shown to be highly effective in the Heck reaction of 4-bromotoluene with acrylic acid.     

两个具有强双光子荧光的有机硼化合物

以二米基硼为电子受体, 苯乙烯基噻吩为共轭桥, 合成了两个新的稳定的有机硼化合物: 反式,反式-2-二米基 硼-5-{2-[4-(2-噻吩乙烯基)苯基]乙烯基}噻吩(1)和反式,反式-1,4-二-[2-(5-二米基硼噻吩)乙烯基]苯(2). 前者为不对称结构的偶极分子, 后者为对称的A-π-A型四极分子. 对称性不同的化合物表现出不同的双光子吸收性质. 对于偶极分子1, 单双光子吸收达到的激发态能级接近, 而对于四极分子2, 双光子吸收达到的激发态则比单光子吸收所达到的激发态高出0.35 eV. 在波长为710到 900 nm范围的飞秒脉冲激光激发下, 化合物1和2在THF溶液中都可以发出很强的绿色上转换荧光 (1, λ_max＝505 nm; 2, λ_max＝513 nm). 用双光子荧光法测得A-π-A型化合物2在775 nm处的双光子吸收截面达1340 GM.     

Light-harvesting organogel based on tris(phenylisoxazolyl)benzene

A novel light-harvesting organogel based on tris(phenylisoxazolyl)benzene, 1, was developed. A pyrene derivative, 2, possessing four phenylisoxazole substituents, was synthesised as an energy acceptor. The electronically excited-state energy of 1 was transferred to a small portion of 2 in the gel state, whereas the photo-induced energy transfer was not observed in solution. The coassembled structures of 1 and 2, formed in the decalin gel, exhibited light-harvesting behaviour. The study on the fluorescence quantum yield revealed that one molecule of 2 accepts the excited-state energy from approximately eight molecules of 1. Time-resolved fluorescence decay experiments revealed that the fluorescence resonance energy transfer is dominant in the energy transfer process in the gel state.     

2-羟基-1-萘甲醛缩-2-萘甲酰腙对Zn2+的选择性识别

设计合成了识别Zn²⁺的荧光传感分子--2-羟基-1-萘甲醛缩-2-萘甲酰腙(3)。 通过红外光谱、核磁共振谱和质谱测试技术表征了其结构。 利用其光谱性质研究了该物质对几种过渡金属离子的识别性质,初步探讨了其结合模式。 结果表明,在乙腈介质中,受体分子3表现出对Zn²⁺良好的选择性,Zn²⁺的加入导致受体分子3的吸收光谱在435 nm处出现1新峰,其吸光度逐渐增强,同时于239、302、330、342和387 nm处观察到5个清晰的等吸收点;在516 nm处荧光增强101倍,而其它过渡金属只引起受体分子]3的荧光略微增强。 Job法实验揭示受体分子3与Zn²⁺的结合比为1∶1。