Ion Coordination and Chelation in a Glycolated Polymer Semiconductor: Molecular Dynamics and X-Ray Fluorescence Study

Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) are based on the doping of a semiconducting polymer by an electrolyte. Due to their ability to conjugate volumetric ion penetration with high hole mobility and charge density, polythiophenes bearing glycolated side chains have rapidly surged as the highest performing materials for OECTs; amongst them, p(g2T-TT) is amongst those with the highest figure of merit. While recent studies have shown how different doping anions tend to affect the polymer microstructure, only a handful of electrolytes have been tested in mixed conduction devices. Our work provides an atomistic picture of the p(g2T-TT) -electrolyte interface in the ‘off’ state of an OECT, expected to be dominated by cation-polymer interactions. Using a combination of molecular dynamics simulations and X-ray fluorescence, we show how different anions effectively tune the coordination and chelation of cations by glycolated polymers. At the same time, softer and hydrophobic anions such as TFSI and ClO4 are found to preferentially interact with the p(g2T-TT) phase, further enhancing polymer-cation coordination. Besides opening the way for a full study of electrolyte doping mechanisms in operating devices, our results suggest that tailoring the electrolyte for different applications and materials might be a viable strategy to tune the performance of mixed conducting devices.</p

Ion Coordination and Chelation in a Glycolated Polymer Semiconductor: Molecular Dynamics and X-ray Fluorescence Study

Polythiophenes bearing glycolated side chains have rapidly surged as the highest performing materials for organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) because of their ability to conjugate volumetric ion penetration with high hole mobility and charge density. Among them, p(g2T-TT) has one of the highest figures of merit. Our work provides an atomistic picture of the p(g2T-TT)–electrolyte interface in the “off” state of an OECT, expected to be dominated by cation–polymer interactions. Using a combination of molecular dynamics simulations and X-ray fluorescence, we show how different anions effectively tune the coordination and chelation of cations by p(g2T-TT). At the same time, softer and hydrophobic anions such as TFSI– and ClO4– are found to preferentially interact with the p(g2T-TT) phase, further enhancing the polymer–cation chelation. We highlight how the stronger hydrophobic nature of TFSI– causes its preferential accumulation at the polymer interface, further enhancing the anion-enabled cation–polymer chelation. Besides opening the way for a full study of electrolyte doping mechanisms in operating devices, our results suggest that tailoring the electrolyte for different applications and materials might be a viable strategy to tune the performance of mixed conducting devices

An ordered, self-assembled nanocomposite with efficient electronic and ionic transport

Mixed conductors-materials that can efficiently conduct both ionic and electronic species-are an important class of functional solids. Here we demonstrate an organic nanocomposite that spontaneously forms when mixing an organic semiconductor with an ionic liquid and exhibits efficient room-temperature mixed conduction. We use a polymer known to form a semicrystalline microstructure to template ion intercalation into the side-chain domains of the crystallites, which leaves electronic transport pathways intact. Thus, the resulting material is ordered, exhibiting alternating layers of rigid semiconducting sheets and soft ion-conducting layers. This unique dual-network microstructure leads to a dynamic ionic/electronic nanocomposite with liquid-like ionic transport and highly mobile electronic charges. Using a combination of operando X-ray scattering and in situ spectroscopy, we confirm the ordered structure of the nanocomposite and uncover the mechanisms that give rise to efficient electron transport. These results provide fundamental insights into charge transport in organic semiconductors, as well as suggesting a pathway towards future improvements in these nanocomposites

An ordered, self-assembled nanocomposite with efficient electronic and ionic transport

Mixed conductors-materials that can efficiently conduct both ionic and electronic species-are an important class of functional solids. Here we demonstrate an organic nanocomposite that spontaneously forms when mixing an organic semiconductor with an ionic liquid and exhibits efficient room-temperature mixed conduction. We use a polymer known to form a semicrystalline microstructure to template ion intercalation into the side-chain domains of the crystallites, which leaves electronic transport pathways intact. Thus, the resulting material is ordered, exhibiting alternating layers of rigid semiconducting sheets and soft ion-conducting layers. This unique dual-network microstructure leads to a dynamic ionic/electronic nanocomposite with liquid-like ionic transport and highly mobile electronic charges. Using a combination of operando X-ray scattering and in situ spectroscopy, we confirm the ordered structure of the nanocomposite and uncover the mechanisms that give rise to efficient electron transport. These results provide fundamental insights into charge transport in organic semiconductors, as well as suggesting a pathway towards future improvements in these nanocomposites

Side Chain Redistribution as a Strategy to Boost Organic Electrochemical Transistor Performance and Stability

A series of glycolated polythiophenes for use in organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) is designed and synthesized, differing in the distribution of their ethylene glycol chains that are tethered to the conjugated backbone. While side chain redistribution does not have a significant impact on the optoelectronic properties of the polymers, this molecular engineering strategy strongly impacts the water uptake achieved in the polymers. By careful optimization of the water uptake in the polymer films, OECTs with unprecedented steady-state performances in terms of [mu C*] and current retentions up to 98% over 700 electrochemical switching cycles are developed.Funding Agencies|KAUSTKing Abdullah University of Science &amp; Technology; King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) [OSR-2018-CARF/CCF-3079, OSR-2015-CRG4-2572, OSR-4106 CPF2019]; EC FP7 Project SC2 [610115]; EC H2020 [643791]; EPSRCEngineering &amp; Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) [EP/G037515/1, EP/M005143/1, EP/L016702/1]; Knut and Alice Wallenberg FoundationKnut &amp; Alice Wallenberg Foundation; Wallenberg Wood Science Center [KAW 2018.0452]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Advanced Functional Materials at Linkoping University [2009-00971]; TomKat Center for Sustainable Energy at Stanford University</p

Side Chain Redistribution as a Strategy to Boost Organic Electrochemical Transistor Performance and Stability

A series of glycolated polythiophenes for use in organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) is designed and synthesized, differing in the distribution of their ethylene glycol chains that are tethered to the conjugated backbone. While side chain redistribution does not have a significant impact on the optoelectronic properties of the polymers, this molecular engineering strategy strongly impacts the water uptake achieved in the polymers. By careful optimization of the water uptake in the polymer films, OECTs with unprecedented steady-state performances in terms of [mu C*] and current retentions up to 98% over 700 electrochemical switching cycles are developed.Funding Agencies|KAUSTKing Abdullah University of Science &amp; Technology; King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) [OSR-2018-CARF/CCF-3079, OSR-2015-CRG4-2572, OSR-4106 CPF2019]; EC FP7 Project SC2 [610115]; EC H2020 [643791]; EPSRCEngineering &amp; Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) [EP/G037515/1, EP/M005143/1, EP/L016702/1]; Knut and Alice Wallenberg FoundationKnut &amp; Alice Wallenberg Foundation; Wallenberg Wood Science Center [KAW 2018.0452]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Advanced Functional Materials at Linkoping University [2009-00971]; TomKat Center for Sustainable Energy at Stanford University</p

Organic neuromorphic electronics for sensorimotor integration and learning in robotics.

In living organisms, sensory and motor processes are distributed, locally merged, and capable of forming dynamic sensorimotor associations. We introduce a simple and efficient organic neuromorphic circuit for local sensorimotor merging and processing on a robot that is placed in a maze. While the robot is exposed to external environmental stimuli, visuomotor associations are formed on the adaptable neuromorphic circuit. With this on-chip sensorimotor integration, the robot learns to follow a path to the exit of a maze, while being guided by visually indicated paths. The ease of processability of organic neuromorphic electronics and their unconventional form factors, in combination with education-purpose robotics, showcase a promising approach of an affordable, versatile, and readily accessible platform for exploring, designing, and evaluating behavioral intelligence through decentralized sensorimotor integration

Regiochemistry-driven organic electrochemical transistor performance enhancement in ethylene glycol-functionalized polythiophenes

Novel p-type semiconducting polymers that can facilitate ion penetration, and operate in accumulation mode are much desired in bioelectronics. Glycol side chains have proven to be an efficient method to increase bulk electrochemical doping and optimize aqueous swelling. One early polymer which exemplifies these design approaches was p(g2T-TT), employing a bithiophene- -thienothiophene backbone with glycol side chains in the 3,3' positions of the bithiophene repeat unit. In this paper, the analogous regioisomeric polymer, namely pgBTTT, was synthesized by relocating the glycol side chains position on the bithiophene unit of p(g2T-TT) from the 3,3' to the 4,4' positions and compared with the original p(g2T-TT). By changing the regio-positioning of the side chains, the planarizing effects of the S-O interactions were redistributed along the backbone, and the influence on the polymer's microstructure organization was investigated using grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) measurements. The newly designed pgBTTT exhibited lower backbone disorder, closer π-stacking, and higher scattering intensity in both the in-plane and out-of-plane GIWAXS measurements. The effect of the improved planarity of pgBTTT manifested as higher hole mobility (μ) of 3.44 ± 0.13 cm V s . Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was in agreement with the GIWAXS measurements and demonstrated, for the first time, that glycol side chains can also facilitate intermolecular interdigitation analogous to that of pBTTT. Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation of energy (eQCM-D) measurements revealed that pgBTTT maintains a more rigid structure than p(g2T-TT) during doping, minimizing molecular packing disruption and maintaining higher hole mobility in operation mode