Synthesis and solution processing of novel p-type conjugated polymers
Fellow:
Joost Kimpel (ESR 5)
Home Institution:
Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
1st Secondment:
Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany
2nd Secondment:
InnovationLab, Germany
Supervisor:
Christian Müller (Chalmers)
Co-Supervisor:
Michael Sommer (Chemnitz)
Objectives
- Synthesis of p-type conjugated polymers, esp. polythiophenes, with different types of polar side chains based on oligoethylene glycol, to achieve a low ionization potential and good solubility
- Synthesis of polar conjugated polymers with different side chain lengths and branching to optimize solid state packing
- Synthesis of copolymers of polar polythiophenes with non-conjugated blocks to adjust rheological and mechanical properties
- Upscaling of the synthesis of the two most promising materials to the 10-gram scale.
Expected results
- New polythiophenes with optimal side chain type that can be processed together with p-dopants from the same solution and show optimal thermoelectric performance
- Synthesis of the two most promising materials upscaled to the 10-gram scale, for delivery to WP2 and 4.
Skills acquired
- In-depth understanding of synthesis and characterization of conjugated polymers, including upscaling
- Basic knowledge of TE characterization techniques