Vacuum-deposited small-molecule organic solar cells with high power conversion efficiencies by judicious molecular design and device optimization

Three new tailor-made molecules (DPDCTB, DPDCPB, and DTDCPB) were strategically designed and convergently synthesized as donor materials for small-molecule organic solar cells. These compounds possess a donor-acceptor-acceptor molecular architecture, in which various electron-donating moieties are connected to an electron-withdrawing dicyanovinylene moiety through another electron-accepting 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole block. The molecular structures and crystal packings of DTDCPB and the previously reported DTDCTB were characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Photophysical and electrochemical properties as well as energy levels of this series of donor molecules were thoroughly investigated, affording clear structure-property relationships. By delicate manipulation of the trade-off between the photovoltage and the photocurrent via molecular structure engineering together with device optimizations, which included fine-tuning the layer thicknesses and the donor:acceptor blended ratio in the bulk heterojunction layer, vacuum-deposited hybrid planar-mixed heterojunction devices utilizing DTDCPB as the donor and C(70) as the acceptor showed the best performance with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.6 ± 0.2% (the highest PCE of 6.8%), along with an open-circuit voltage (V(oc)) of 0.93 ± 0.02 V, a short-circuit current density (J(sc)) of 13.48 ± 0.27 mA/cm(2), and a fill factor (FF) of 0.53 ± 0.02, under 1 sun (100 mW/cm(2)) AM 1.5G simulated solar illumination.     

Synthesis of New C(2)‐Substituted gluco‐Configured Tetrahydroimidazopyridines and Their Evaluation as Glucosidase Inhibitors

The gluco‐configured C(2)‐substituted tetrahydroimidazopyridines 8 – 14 were prepared and tested as inhibitors of the β‐glucosidases from Caldocellum saccharolyticum and from sweet almonds, and of the α‐glucosidase from brewer's yeast. All new imidazopyridines are nanomolar inhibitors of the β‐glucosidases and micromolar inhibitors of the α‐glucosidase. The 3‐phenylpropyl derivative 14 proved the strongest inhibitor of the Caldocellum β‐glucosidase (K_i = 0.9 nM ), only slightly weaker than the known 2‐phenylethyl analogue 7 , and the propyl derivative 13 is the strongest inhibitor of the sweet almond β‐glucosidases (K_i = 3.2 nM ), again slightly weaker than 7 . There is no strong dependence of the inhibition on the nature of the C(2)‐substituent and no clear correlation between the inhibitory strength of the known manno‐configured imidazopyridines 2 – 6 and the gluco‐analogues 8 – 12 . While most manno‐imidazopyridines are competitive inhibitors, the gluco‐analogues proved non‐competitive inhibitors of the Caldocellum β‐glucosidase and mixed‐type or partial mixed‐type inhibitors of the sweet almond β‐glucosidases.     

A mild and general method for preparation of α-glycosyl chlorides

A mild and efficient chlorination method for production of glycosyl chlorides is first described which employs inexpensive trichlorotriazine (TCT) and DMF as a chlorination reagent and is compatible with typical acid-labile hydroxyl protecting functions. The scope and limitations, reaction mechanism and its application in the sequential glycosylations are discussed.     

Effect of chemical structure of interface modifier of TiO2 on photovoltaic properties of poly(3-hexylthiophene)/TiO2 layered solar cells

Two classes of phosphonic acid-bearing organic molecules, 2-oligothiophene phosphonic acid and omega-(2-thienyl)alkyl phosphonic acid were adopted as interface modifiers (IMs) of the TiO(2) surface, to increase its compatibility with poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). The self-assembled monolayers of these molecules on titania surface were characterized by making contact angle measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Atomic force microscopic (AFM) images revealed that the adsorption of IMs effectively smooths the TiO(2) surface. Both photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and PL lifetime measurements were made to investigate the photoinduced properties of the TiO(2)/IM/P3HT layered-junction. The PL quenching efficiency increased with the number of thiophene rings and as the alkyl chain-length in IMs decreased. Meanwhile, the decline in the PL lifetime followed a similar trend as the PL quenching efficiency. Additionally, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the ITO/TiO(2)/IM/P3HT/Au devices was examined by measuring their photocurrent density-applied voltage (J-V) curves. The experimental results indicated that the short-circuit current density (J(SC)) increased with the number of thiophene units and as the hydrocarbon chain-length in IMs decreased. However, the open-circuit voltage (V(OC)) of the devices slightly fell as the energy level of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of IM decreased. The PCE of the device with 2-terthiophene phosphonic acid was 2.5 times that of the device with 10-(2-thienyl)decyl phosphonic acid.     

Optical Möbius symmetry in metamaterials

We experimentally observed a new topological symmetry in optical composites, namely, metamaterials. While it is not found yet in nature materials, the electromagnetic M?bius symmetry discovered in metamaterials is equivalent to the structural symmetry of a M?bius strip, with the number of twists controlled by the sign change of the electromagnetic coupling between the meta-atoms. We further demonstrate that metamaterials with different coupling signs exhibit resonance frequencies that depend only on the number but not the locations of the "twists," thus confirming its topological nature. The new topological symmetry found in metamaterials may enable unique functionalities in optical materials.     

Simple and mild stereoselective O-glycosidation using 1,2-anhydrosugars under neutral conditions

The ring opening of α-d-1,2-anhydrohexapyranoses with phenols proceeded smoothly in ethyl acetate (neutral conditions) in the absence of metal ion catalysts or additives to stereoselectively furnish 1,2-cis-α-aryl glycosides as the major product and 1,2-trans-β-aryl glycosides as the minor product in good yields. Under similar conditions, this ring opening reaction with alcohols afforded exclusively β-alkyl glycosides in excellent yields.     

Light-Responsive Arylazopyrazole Gelators: From Organic to Aqueous Media and from Supramolecular to Dynamic Covalent Chemistry

Versatile photoresponsive gels based on tripodal low molecular weight gelators (LMWGs) are reported. A cyclohexane-1,3,5-tricarboxamide (CTA) core provides face-to-face hydrogen bonding and a planar conformation, inducing the self-assembly of supramolecular polymers. The CTA core was substituted with three arylazopyrazole (AAP) arms. AAP is a molecular photoswitch that isomerizes reversibly under alternating UV and green light irradiation. The E isomer of AAP is planar, favoring the self-assembly, whereas the Z isomer has a twisted structure, leading to a disassembly of the supramolecular polymers. By using tailor-made molecular design of the tripodal gelator, light-responsive organogels and hydrogels were obtained. Additionally, in the case of the hydrogels, AAP was coupled to the core through hydrazones, so that the hydrogelator and, hence, the photoresponsive hydrogel could also be assembled and disassembled by using dynamic covalent chemistry.     

On-line full scan inspection of particle size and shape using digital image processing

An on-line full scan inspection system is developed for particle size analysis.A particle image is first obtained through optical line scan technology and is then analyzed using digital image processing.The system is composed of a particle separation module,an image acquisition module,an image processing module,and an electric control module.Experiments are carried out using non-uniform 0.1 mm particles.The main advantage of this system consists of a full analysis of particles without any overlap or miss,thus improving the Area Scan Charge Coupled Device(CCD)acquisition problems.Particle size distribution,roundness,and sphericity can be obtained using the system with a deviation of repeated precision of around ±1%.The developed system is shown to be also convenient and versatile for any particle size and shape for academic and industrial users.     

Synthesis of spiro[3,4‐diaryl‐4,5‐dihydroisoxazole‐5,2′‐1′,2′,3′,4‐tetrahydro‐1′‐naphthalenone]

Synthesis of a series of novel spiro[3,4‐diaryl‐4,5‐dihydroisoxazole‐5,2′‐1′,2′,3′,4′‐tetrahydro‐1′‐naphthalenone] has been described by the regioselective cycloaddition of nitrile oxides with 2‐arylmethylene‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydro‐1‐naphthalenone. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 12:463–467, 2001