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ESR Project 11

Synthesis of n-type and p-type polymers for thermoelectric applications

Fellow:
Diego Ropero Hinojosa (ESR 11)

Home Institution:
Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany

1st Secondment:
Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

2nd Secondment:
InnovationLab, Germany

Supervisor:
Michael Sommer (Chemnitz)

Co-Supervisor:
Christian Müller (Chalmers)

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Objectives

  • Design, characterization and scalable synthesis of n-type polymers with ambient stability in doped state (LUMO more negative than –4.0 eV) and high electron mobility
  • Synthesis of several new electron-deficient copolymers with polar side chains based on heterocycles, imides, lactones or lactam functionalities
  • Synthesis of conjugated n-type polyelectrolytes
  • Scale up to ~5 g scale of most promising candidates
  • Characterization, thermal properties, aggregation in solution and ambient stability in doped state by steady-state optical properties
  • Selection of dopants.

Expected results

  • Large scale synthesis of ambient stable conjugated polymers with LUMO energy level > -4.0 eV, high electron mobility (> 1 cm2/Vs)
  • Synthesis of different molecular weights (MWs) to establish MW-correlations with processability, charge mobility and TE performance
  • Knowledge on solution aggregation as basis for doping protocols

Skills acquired

  • Organic synthesis
  • Fine tuning of transition-metal catalyzed polycondensations
  • MW optimization
  • Upscaling
  • Polymer and optoelectronic characterization
  • Basic TE measurements