Greener and facile approaches towards synthesis of organic semiconducting materials

Abstract

Organic semiconductors (OSCs) are carbon-based materials that exhibit semiconducting properties and can be classified as π-conjugated small molecules and polymers. Over the past few decades, OSCs have attracted many fields due to their diverse range of applications in electronics, such as organic light-emitting diodes, organic photovoltaics, organic field-effect transistors, and sensors. These organic semiconductors offer several advantages over conventional semiconductors since they can be processed from solution at low temperature, have good mechanical flexibility and tunability, and have good electrical and chemical properties. With the worldwide demand for energy and technology, there is a critical need to design and synthesize high performing organic semiconductors that are robust, tunable optical, electrical, and physical properties. A major limitation associated with the organic semiconducting materials is their syntheses. Most of the synthetic approaches require many steps, rely on stoichiometric amounts of toxic metallic reagents, and result is the formation of large amounts of toxic byproducts. Therefore, a key challenge is to develop green methods and create strategies to synthesize semiconducting materials in a manner that reduces cost, waste, environmental impact, and improve safety.

In this regard, my researches were focused on the utilization of C-H direct arylation strategy, Cu₂O nanoparticles mediated oxidative homocoupling polymerization, synthesis of conjugated polymers using energy-efficient and aerobic conditions, and solid-state synthesis of conjugated polymers promoted by ball milling.