Importance of the Donor: Fullerene Intermolecular Arrangement for High-Efficiency Organic Photovoltaics

The performance of organic photovoltaic (OPV) material systems are hypothesized to depend strongly on the intermolecular arrangements at the donor:fullerene interfaces. A review of some of the most efficient polymers utilized in polymer:fullerene PV devices, combined with an analysis of reported polymer donor materials wherein the same conjugated backbone was used with varying alkyl substituents, supports this hypothesis. Specifically, the literature shows that higher-performing donor–acceptor type polymers generally have acceptor moieties that are sterically accessible for interactions with the fullerene derivative, whereas the corresponding donor moieties tend to have branched alkyl substituents that sterically hinder interactions with the fullerene. To further explore the idea that the most beneficial polymer:fullerene arrangement involves the fullerene docking with the acceptor moiety, a family of benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene–thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione polymers (PBDTTPD derivatives) was synthesized and tested in a variety of PV device types with vastly different aggregation states of the polymer. In agreement with our hypothesis, the PBDTTPD derivative with a more sterically accessible acceptor moiety and a more sterically hindered donor moiety shows the highest performance in bulk-heterojunction, bilayer, and low-polymer concentration PV devices where fullerene derivatives serve as the electron-accepting materials. Furthermore, external quantum efficiency measurements of the charge-transfer state and solid-state two-dimensional (2D) 13C{1H} heteronuclear correlation (HETCOR) NMR analyses support that a specific polymer:fullerene arrangement is present for the highest performing PBDTTPD derivative, in which the fullerene is in closer proximity to the acceptor moiety of the polymer. This work demonstrates that the polymer:fullerene arrangement and resulting intermolecular interactions may be key factors in determining the performance of OPV material systems

Distribution of Metal and Adsorbed Guest Species in Zeolites

Because of their high internal surface areas and molecular-size cavity dimensions, zeolites are used widely as catalysts, shape- selective supports, or adsorbents in a variety of important chemical processes. For metal-catalyzed reactions, active metal species must be dispersed to sites within the zeolite pores that are accessible to diffusing reactant molecules. The distribution of the metal, together with transport and adsorption of reactant molecules in zeolite powders, are crucial to ultimate catalyst performance. The nature of the metal or adsorbed guest distribution is known, however, to be dramatically dependent upon preparatory conditions. Our objective is to understand, at the molecular level, how preparatory treatments influence the distribution of guest species in zeolites, in order that macroscopic adsorption and reaction properties of these materials may be better understood. The sensitivity of xenon to its adsorption environment makes {sup 129}Xe NMR spectroscopy an important diagnostic probe of metal clustering and adsorbate distribution processes in zeolites. The utility of {sup 129}Xe NMR depends on the mobility of the xenon atoms within the zeolite-guest system, together with the length scale of the sample heterogeneity being studied. In large pore zeolites containing dispersed guest species, such as Pt--NaY, {sup 129}Xe NMR is insensitive to fine structural details at room temperature

Nanoscale insight into intermolecular interactions in organic photovoltaic blends using solid state NMR spectroscopy

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Two-Dimensional 29Xe Exchange NMR Measurements of Xenon Dynamics in Na-A Zeolite

Two-dimensional (2D) exchange NMR is a powerful tool for measuring the dynamics and energetics of adsorbed xenon atoms undergoing slow exchange between the alpha-cages of Na-A zeolite. In this proceedings, we present recently published results, as well as additional discussion and data obtained, using 2D Xe-129 NMR to determine rate coefficients for intercage xenon hopping and to correlate them with adsorption and activation energies. Variable-temperature experiments establish the activation energy for hopping between alpha-cages to be 60+/-10 kJ/mol. The dependence of these kinetic and thermodynamic quantities on xenon occupancy of the alpha-cages reflects the importance of intracage interactions on the behavior of the adsorbed guest molecules

Framework ordering in aluminophosphate molecular sieves studied by sup 27 Al double rotation NMR

Aluminum-27 Double Rotation NMR spectroscopy (DOR) has been used to investigate framework ordering in the aluminophosphate molecular sieves VPI-5, AlPO{sub 4}-5, and AlPO{sub 4}-8. Well resolved peaks in the {sup 27}Al DOR spectra of both hydrated and dehydrated VPI-5 allow isotropic shifts to be correlated with local framework structure. more distorted aluminum environments are reflected by broader lines in {sup 27}Al DOR spectra of AlPO{sub 4}-5 and AlPO{sub 4}-8

Cooperative Formation of Inorganic-Organic Interfaces in the Synthesis of Silicate Mesostructures

A model is presented to explain the formation and morphologies of surfactant-silicate mesostructures. Three processes are identified: multidentate binding of silicate oligomers to the cationic surfactant, preferential silicate polymerization in the interface region, and charge density matching between the surfactant and the silicate. The model explains present experimental data, including the transformation between lamellar and hexagonal mesophases, and provides a guide for predicting conditions that favor the formation of lamellar, hexagonal, or cubic mesostructures. Model Q²³⁰ proposed by Mariani and his co-workers satisfactorily fits the x-ray data collected on the cubic mesostructure material. This model suggests that the silicate polymer forms a unique infinite silicate sheet sitting on the gyroid minimal surface and separating the surfactant molecules into two disconnected volumes