Published in

MDPI, Polymers, 3(15), p. 666, 2023

DOI: 10.3390/polym15030666

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Molecular Weight-Dependent Oxidation and Optoelectronic Properties of Defect-Free Macrocyclic Poly(3-hexylthiophene)

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Published version: archiving allowed
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

The redox behaviors of macrocyclic molecules with an entirely π-conjugated system are of interest due to their unique optical, electronic, and magnetic properties. In this study, defect-free cyclic P3HT with a degree of polymerization (DPn) from 14 to 43 was synthesized based on our previously established method, and its unique redox behaviors arising from the cyclic topology were investigated. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) showed that the HOMO level of cyclic P3HT decreases from –4.86 eV (14 mer) to –4.89 eV (43 mer), in contrast to the linear counterparts increasing from –4.94 eV (14 mer) to –4.91 eV (43 mer). During the CV measurement, linear P3HT suffered from electro-oxidation at the chain ends, while cyclic P3HT was stable. ESR and UV–Vis–NIR spectroscopy suggested that cyclic P3HT has stronger dicationic properties due to the interactions between the polarons. On the other hand, linear P3HT showed characteristics of polaron pairs with multiple isolated polarons. Moreover, the dicationic properties of cyclic P3HT were more pronounced for the smaller macrocycles.