Tda Research, Inc.

Shawn Sapp

Silvia DeVito Luebben

Brian John Elliott

Raechelle A D'Sa

William W Ellis

Chieh-Hui Chang

Pi-conjugated organoboron polymers for use in thin-film organic polymer electronic devices. The polymers contain aromatic and or unsaturated repeat units and boron atoms. Pi-conjugated organoboron polymers which are end capped, derivatized with solubilizing groups or both exhibit improved solubility and handling properties beneficial for the formation of thin films useful for device fabrication. The vacant p-orbital of the boron atoms conjugate with the pi-conjugated orbital system of the aromatic or unsaturated monomer units extending the pi-conjugation length of the polymer across the boron atoms. The pi-conjugated organoboron polymers are electron-deficient and, therefore, exhibit n-type semiconducting properties, photoluminescence, and electroluminescence. The invention provides thin-film organic polymer electronic devices, such as organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs), organic diodes, organic photodiodes, organic thin-film transistors (TFTs), organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), printable or flexible electronics, such as radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, electronic papers, and printed circuit elements, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs), and energy storage devices employing the pi-conjugated organoboron polymers. In OLED and PLED applications these materials are used as the electron transport layer (ETL) to improve device efficiency. The polymers which exhibit photo- and electroluminescence are also useful as light-emitting material in PLEDs.

Pi-conjugated organoboron polymers in thin-film organic electronic devices

This invention relates to improved methods for the preparation, purification, and processing of poly(heteroaromatic) block copolymers, as well as compositions prepared by these methods. Methods relate to preparation of multiblock and triblock copolymers of intrinsically conducting polymers (ICPs) containing at least one block of a poly(heteroaromatic) polymer and at least two blocks of a non-conducting polymer. This invention provides polymer solutions or dispersions of improved stability and better film-forming properties. The poly(heteroaromatic) block copolymers are obtained in their conducting or doped form, and are retained in a solvated, wet form throughout the production and purification processes. Stable solutions or dispersions of the purified copolymers in organic solvents, water, or mixtures thereof are provided. Stable solutions or dispersions of ICPs are useful in the preparation of semiconducting and conducting films, blends, and coatings on a variety of substrates using standard processing and coating techniques.

Methods of production, purification, and processing of poly(heteroaromatic) block copolymers with improved solubility or dispersability

The present invention relates to a class of conducting oligomers and polymers and to a method for the preparation of the same. The conducting oligomers and polymers contain an end-capping group, which is non-electrically conductive and contains at least one branch point. The branched end-capping groups are made by a method that first substitutes the branched group on the heteroaromatic monomer, particularly at the '2' position on these monomers. In a second step, the end-capping intermediate is co-polymerized with one or more additional heteroaromatic monomers to form capped conducting oligomers and polymers.

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Westminster, CO, United States of America

Shawn Sapp