High-Performance Thienothiophene and Single Wall Carbon Nanotube-Based Supercapacitor as a Free-Standing and Flexible Hybrid Energy Storage Material

Long cycle life and high energy/power density are imperative for energy storage systems. Similarly, flexible and free-standing electrodes are important for supercapacitor applications. Herein, we report, for the first time, use of thienothiophene (TT) and a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)-based free-standing and flexible hybrid material (TT-TPA-SWCNT) as a high-performance supercapacitor. The synthesized TT derivative, TT-TPA, was directly attached to SWCNT through noncovalent interactions to obtain the TT-based SWCNT hybrid, TT-TPA-SWCNT, as a flexible film. The hybrid film was clarified by surface analysis methods of scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. TT-TPA-SWCNT was used as a flexible and free-standing electrode in a two-electrode system for supercapacitor and energy storage applications. It displayed a high energy storage capacity of 83.2 F g–1 at 5 mV s–1 scan rate, an excellent cyclic stability with 110% retention of its initial specific capacitance after 7000 cycles and a long power density ranged from 100 to 3000 W·kg–1, demonstrating that TT-TPA-SWCNT is a promising hybrid nanomaterial for high-performance energy storage applications

Concise Syntheses, Polymers, and Properties of 3‑Arylthieno[3,2‑<i>b</i>]thiophenes

Thieno­[3,2-<i>b</i>]­thiophenes (TT), having <i>para</i>-substituted phenyl groups at C-3, have been synthesized through a ring closure reaction, using P₄S₁₀, in moderate to high yields. Their absorbance studies displayed that the TT, having nitrophenyl group had the most red shift absorbance at 365 nm, which also showed the lowest optical band gap of 2.92 eV; the rest of the TTs had the absorbance between 300 and 302 nm. Cyclic voltammetry studies indicated that while all the TTs had the oxidation potentials above 1.0 V, the TT with dimethylaminophenyl group had the lowest oxidation potential of 1.33 V. The rest had the oxidation potentials between 1.6 and 1.99 V. The TTs were both electropolymerized and copolymerized with thiophene through Suzuki coupling reaction. Electropolymerized polymers indicated that while the polymer having strong electron donating dimethylaminophenyl group had the lowest oxidation potential of 0.97 V, the rest of the polymers displayed the potentials between 1.09 and 1.39 V. Their electronic band gaps varied between 1.86 and 2.46 eV. The CV–UV studies of the polymers, electro-deposited on ITO, showed absorbance maxima between 431 and 468 nm, and the lowest optical band gap was observed with the polymer having methoxyphenyl group (1.99 eV). The rest of the polymers had the optical band gaps between 2.05 and 2.19 eV. Regarding the copolymers, the one with methoxyphenyl group had the lowest oxidation potential of 0.75 V. They displayed absorption and emission maxima between 325 and 445 and 454–564 nm, respectively. Their optical and electronic band gaps varied between 2.0 and 2.5 eV. As the copolymer having strong electron donating methoxyphenyl group had the highest quantum yield, 0.64 eV, the one with strong electron withdrawing nitrophenyl group had the lowest quantum yield of 0.003 eV

DataSheet2_Thieno[3,2-b]thiophene and triphenylamine-based hole transport materials for perovskite solar cells.docx

Heterocyclic compounds have played significant roles in achieving high performance as hole transport materials (HTMs) for perovskite solar cell (PSC) applications. Various studies have focused on the development of fused heterocyclic conjugated structures for hole transport materials. In this report, three novel π-extended conjugated materials (M1-M3), based on thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (TT) and 4,4′-dimethoxytriphenylamine [TPA(OMe)2], were designed and successfully synthesized via Palladium (0) catalyzed Suzuki coupling reaction. Their optical, electrochemical, and thermal properties were investigated by UV-Vis, fluorescence, cyclic voltammetry, and thermal analysis. The materials were utilized as hole transport materials in p-i-n architecture perovskite solar cells, which displayed performances of open-circuit voltage (Voc) as high as 1,050 mV, a maximum short-circuit current (Jsc) of 16,9 mA/cm2, a maximum fill factor (FF) of 29.3%, and a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.20%. This work demonstrated that thieno[3,2-b]thiophene and TPA(OMe)2-based structures are promising cores for high-performance hole transport materials in perovskite solar cell architecture.</p