Effects of Alkyl Spacer Length in Carbazole-Based Self-Assembled Monolayer Materials on Molecular Conformation and Organic Solar Cell Performance.

Carbazole-based self-assembled monolayer (SAM) materials as hole transport layers (HTL) have led organic solar cells (OSCs) to state-of-the-art photovoltaic performance. Nonetheless, the impact of the alkyl spacer length of SAMs remains inadequately understood. To improve the knowledge, four dichloride-substituted carbazole-based SAMs (from 2Cl-2PACz to 2Cl-5PACz) with spacer lengths of 2-5 carbon atoms is developed.

Unveiling the Influence of Linkers on Conformations of Oligomeric Acceptors for High-Performance Polymer Solar Cells.

Conformational isomerism of organic photovoltaic materials has a profound impact on their molecular packing and therefore performance of polymer solar cells (PSCs). However, the conformations of oligomeric acceptors (OAs) are mostly predicted by simulations rather than experimental determinations. Herein, the stereochemical S-shaped structure of two dimeric-type acceptor molecules, V-DYIC and V-DYIC-4F, is first confirmed with different end groups (IC for V-DYIC and IC-2F for V-DYIC-4F), incorporating vinylene linkage for connecting the distinct state-of-the-art small molecule acceptor Y-segments.

Aqueous Processed All-Polymer Solar Cells with High Open-Circuit Voltage Based on Low-Cost Thiophene-Quinoxaline Polymers.

Eco-friendly solution processing and the low-cost synthesis of photoactive materials are important requirements for the commercialization of organic solar cells (OSCs). Although varieties of aqueous-soluble acceptors have been developed, the availability of aqueous-processable polymer donors remains quite limited. In particular, the generally shallow highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels of existing polymer donors limit further increases in the power conversion efficiency (PCE).

On the Conformation of Dimeric Acceptors and Their Polymer Solar Cells with Efficiency over 18 .

The determination of molecular conformations of oligomeric acceptors (OAs) and their impact on molecular packing are crucial for understanding the photovoltaic performance of their resulting polymer solar cells (PSCs) but have not been well studied yet. Herein, we synthesized two dimeric acceptor materials, DIBP3F-Se and DIBP3F-S, which bridged two segments of Y6-derivatives by selenophene and thiophene, respectively. Theoretical simulation and experimental 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic studies prove that both dimers exhibit O-shaped conformations other than S- or U-shaped counter-ones.

Effects of Flexible Conjugation-Break Spacers of Non-Conjugated Polymer Acceptors on Photovoltaic and Mechanical Properties of All-Polymer Solar Cells.

Highlights: A series of non-conjugated acceptor polymers with flexible conjugation-break spacers (FCBSs) of different lengths were synthesized. The effect of FCBSs length on solubility of the acceptor polymers, and their photovoltaic and mechanical properties in all-polymer solar cells were explored. This work provides useful guidelines for the design of semiconducting polymers by introducing FCBS with proper length, which can giantly improved properties that are not possible to be achieved by the state-of-the-art fully conjugated polymers.

Polymer Acceptors with Flexible Spacers Afford Efficient and Mechanically Robust All-Polymer Solar Cells.

High efficiency and mechanical robustness are both crucial for the practical applications of all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) in stretchable and wearable electronics. In this regard, a series of new polymer acceptors (P s) is reported by incorporating a flexible conjugation-break spacer (FCBS) to achieve highly efficient and mechanically robust all-PSCs. Incorporation of FCBS affords the effective modulation of the crystallinity and pre-aggregation of the P s, and achieves the optimal blend morphology with polymer donor (P ), increasing both the photovoltaic and mechanical properties of all-PSCs.

Printable Off-On Thermoswitchable Fluorescent Materials for Programmable Thermally Controlled Full-Color Displays and Multiple Encryption.

Thermoswitchable fluorescent materials (TFMs) have received special attention due to their unique fluorescent colorimetric responses to temperature. Conventional TFMs generally display unicolor with switching from one color to another, showing unprintable and unsatisfied performances. These limitations greatly hinder their development and expansion toward advanced applications.

Photooxidation of oxazolidine molecular switches: uncovering an intramolecular ionization facilitated cyclization process.

Photooxidation of oxazoline (OXA) molecular switches through media-induced intramolecular ionization is reported. The formation of the photooxidation product occurs by attack of the flexible donor group (-CH2CH2OH) to the adjacent C[double bond, length as m-dash]C with 1O2 as the oxidant. The novel seven-membered ring sub-structure of the photooxidation product was inferred by HRMS, IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy.

Oxazolidine Transient Bases as Molecular Platforms for Testing Dynamic CO Capture in Biochemical Systems.

Understanding the dynamic processes of CO capture in biosystems is important because of the great effect CO has on the carbon cycle, human health, the global climate, and living environments. After years of multidisciplinary studies, researchers have gained only basic mechanistic knowledge about how enzymes or protein-aggregates capture and deliver CO, a process involving reversible bonding of CO with basic amino acid residues. However, vital mechanistic details of how the activated basic residues within these enzymes or protein-aggregates are initially formed, a crucial step for CO capture, are still lacking.

Endowing Hydrochromism to Fluorans via Bioinspired Alteration of Molecular Structures and Microenvironments and Expanding Their Potential for Rewritable Paper.

Interest and effort toward new materials for rewritable paper have increased dramatically because of the exciting advantages for sustainable development and better nature life cycle. Inspired by how nature works within living systems, herein, we have used fluorans, as a concept verification, to endow original acidochromic, basochromic or photochromic molecules with broader properties, such as switchable with solvent, water, heat, electricity, stress, other force, etc., via simplified methods (i.

Facile synthesis of manganese oxide loaded hollow silica particles and their application for methylene blue degradation.

A facile poly acrylic acid (PAA) soft templating method was developed to fabricate manganese oxide loaded hollow silica particles (MHSPs). The synthesis involves PAA-Mn aggregation to form spherical particles and silica coating layer formation on the outer surface of the particles. Subsequent calcination in air at 500 °C removes the polymer inside the particles, and hollow silica spheres with trapped metal oxide particles are thus formed.