{"id":{"repo_id":"ohiolink","oai_identifier":"oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:akron1362783501"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/ohiolink/oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:akron1362783501","repository":{"repo_id":"ohiolink","name":"OhioLINK","base_url":"https://etd.ohiolink.edu/acprod/odb_etd/ws/oai/oai"},"display":{"title":"Synthesis of Conjugated Polymers","abstract":"Conjugated polymers (CPs) are a unique class of materials because they possess the electronic properties of semi-conductors and processability of polymers. Their electronic and optical properties can be controlled by their chemical structures and conjugation length.To enhance the electron affinity of CPs, a series of boron-containing CPs were synthesized with arylene-borylene units. One of the boron-containing polymer had indeed shown the ability of quenching the photoluminescence of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), indicating possible exciton separation and charge transfer.Next, a ketone group was introduced to polythiophene to lower its LUMO level and increase the electron affinity. Regioregular poly(3-heptanoylthiophene) (PHOT) was synthesized. The polymerization was realized by Ni-catalyzed Kumada coupling with a chain-growth mechanism. Schlenk equilibrium played a key role in the generation of the monomer for the polymerization. PHOT was fully characterized by various techniques. However, only p-channel activity was observed in field-effect transistors (FETs) for PHOT. The hole mobility was one order lower than that of P3HT. Photovoltaic devices with an active layer of 1:1 blend of PHOT and PC71BM had a low power conversion efficiency of ~0.5%.Finally, the synthesis of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) was attempted which could be potentially used as a good charge carrier. To prevent intramolecular and intermolecular side reactions during Scholl reaction, the precursors, oligo-naphthalenes with alkoxy groups capping the 2, 3, 6, and 7-positions had been synthesized. Intramolecular ring fusion via the Scholl reations was tested, but no expected GNRs were formed.","abstract_html":"Conjugated polymers (CPs) are a unique class of materials because they possess the electronic properties of semi-conductors and processability of polymers. Their electronic and optical properties can be controlled by their chemical structures and conjugation length.To enhance the electron affinity of CPs, a series of boron-containing CPs were synthesized with arylene-borylene units. One of the boron-containing polymer had indeed shown the ability of quenching the photoluminescence of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), indicating possible exciton separation and charge transfer.Next, a ketone group was introduced to polythiophene to lower its LUMO level and increase the electron affinity. Regioregular poly(3-heptanoylthiophene) (PHOT) was synthesized. The polymerization was realized by Ni-catalyzed Kumada coupling with a chain-growth mechanism. Schlenk equilibrium played a key role in the generation of the monomer for the polymerization. PHOT was fully characterized by various techniques. However, only p-channel activity was observed in field-effect transistors (FETs) for PHOT. The hole mobility was one order lower than that of P3HT. Photovoltaic devices with an active layer of 1:1 blend of PHOT and PC71BM had a low power conversion efficiency of ~0.5%.Finally, the synthesis of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) was attempted which could be potentially used as a good charge carrier. To prevent intramolecular and intermolecular side reactions during Scholl reaction, the precursors, oligo-naphthalenes with alkoxy groups capping the 2, 3, 6, and 7-positions had been synthesized. Intramolecular ring fusion via the Scholl reations was tested, but no expected GNRs were formed.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Wang, Chao"],"institution":"University of Akron","degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy","degree_level":"doctoral","degree_discipline":"Polymer Science","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Jia, Li"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-05-14","date_published":"2013-05-14","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:36:39Z","subjects":["Polymer Chemistry","Conjugated Polymer","Graphene Nanoribbon","Organic Soalr Cells"],"languages":["English"],"rights":["unrestricted","This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1362783501","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Jia, Li"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Wang, Chao"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2013-05-14"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["University of Akron / OhioLINK"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Electronic Thesis or Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Polymer Science"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["doctoral"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["University of Akron"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Polymer Chemistry","Conjugated Polymer","Graphene Nanoribbon","Organic Soalr Cells"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["unrestricted","This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1362783501"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Conjugated polymers (CPs) are a unique class of materials because they possess the electronic properties of semi-conductors and processability of polymers. Their electronic and optical properties can be controlled by their chemical structures and conjugation length.To enhance the electron affinity of CPs, a series of boron-containing CPs were synthesized with arylene-borylene units. One of the boron-containing polymer had indeed shown the ability of quenching the photoluminescence of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), indicating possible exciton separation and charge transfer.Next, a ketone group was introduced to polythiophene to lower its LUMO level and increase the electron affinity. Regioregular poly(3-heptanoylthiophene) (PHOT) was synthesized. The polymerization was realized by Ni-catalyzed Kumada coupling with a chain-growth mechanism. Schlenk equilibrium played a key role in the generation of the monomer for the polymerization. PHOT was fully characterized by various techniques. However, only p-channel activity was observed in field-effect transistors (FETs) for PHOT. The hole mobility was one order lower than that of P3HT. Photovoltaic devices with an active layer of 1:1 blend of PHOT and PC71BM had a low power conversion efficiency of ~0.5%.Finally, the synthesis of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) was attempted which could be potentially used as a good charge carrier. To prevent intramolecular and intermolecular side reactions during Scholl reaction, the precursors, oligo-naphthalenes with alkoxy groups capping the 2, 3, 6, and 7-positions had been synthesized. Intramolecular ring fusion via the Scholl reations was tested, but no expected GNRs were formed."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf","p.206","4.91 MB"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Synthesis of Conjugated Polymers"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Jia, Li"],"dc:creator":["Wang, Chao"],"dc:date":["2013-05-14"],"dc:description":["Conjugated polymers (CPs) are a unique class of materials because they possess the electronic properties of semi-conductors and processability of polymers. Their electronic and optical properties can be controlled by their chemical structures and conjugation length.To enhance the electron affinity of CPs, a series of boron-containing CPs were synthesized with arylene-borylene units. One of the boron-containing polymer had indeed shown the ability of quenching the photoluminescence of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), indicating possible exciton separation and charge transfer.Next, a ketone group was introduced to polythiophene to lower its LUMO level and increase the electron affinity. Regioregular poly(3-heptanoylthiophene) (PHOT) was synthesized. The polymerization was realized by Ni-catalyzed Kumada coupling with a chain-growth mechanism. Schlenk equilibrium played a key role in the generation of the monomer for the polymerization. PHOT was fully characterized by various techniques. However, only p-channel activity was observed in field-effect transistors (FETs) for PHOT. The hole mobility was one order lower than that of P3HT. Photovoltaic devices with an active layer of 1:1 blend of PHOT and PC71BM had a low power conversion efficiency of ~0.5%.Finally, the synthesis of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) was attempted which could be potentially used as a good charge carrier. To prevent intramolecular and intermolecular side reactions during Scholl reaction, the precursors, oligo-naphthalenes with alkoxy groups capping the 2, 3, 6, and 7-positions had been synthesized. Intramolecular ring fusion via the Scholl reations was tested, but no expected GNRs were formed."],"dc:format":["application/pdf","p.206","4.91 MB"],"dc:identifier":["http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1362783501"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:publisher":["University of Akron / OhioLINK"],"dc:rights":["unrestricted","This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws."],"dc:subject":["Polymer Chemistry","Conjugated Polymer","Graphene Nanoribbon","Organic Soalr Cells"],"dc:title":["Synthesis of Conjugated Polymers"],"dc:type":["Electronic Thesis or Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Polymer Science"],"thesis:degree_level":["doctoral"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy"],"thesis:institution_name":["University of Akron"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:36:39Z"}