Solution-Processed Isoindigo- and Thienoisoindigo-Based Donor-Acceptor-Donor π-Conjugated Small Molecules: Synthesis, Morphology, Molecular Packing, and Field-Effect Transistor Characterization
Journal
ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
Journal Volume
14
Journal Issue
50
Pages
55886
Date Issued
2022-12-21
Author(s)
Liao, Yu Ting
Hsiao, Yi Chun
Lo, Yuan Chih
CHIA-CHI LIN
Lin, Po Shen
Abstract
Molecular design and precise control of thin-film morphology and crystallinity of solution-processed small molecules are important for enhancing charge transport mobility of organic field-effect transistors and gaining more insight into the structure-property relationship. Here, two donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) architecture small molecules TRA-IID-TRA and TRA-TIID-TRA comprising an electron-donating triarylamine (TRA) and two different electron-withdrawing cores, isoindigo (IID) and thienoisoindigo (TIID), respectively, were synthesized and characterized. Replacing the phenylene rings of central IID A with thiophene gives a TIID core, which reduces the optical band gap and upshifts the energy levels of frontier molecular orbitals. The single-crystal structures and grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) analysis revealed that TRA-TIID-TRA exhibits the relatively tighter π-πstacking packing with preferential edge-on orientation, larger coherence length, and higher crystallinity due to the noncovalent S···O/S···πintermolecular interactions. The distinctly oriented and connected ribbon-like TRA-TIID-TRA crystalline film by the solution-shearing process achieved a superior hole mobility of 0.89 cm2V-1s-1in the organic field-effect transistor (OFET) device, which is at least five times higher than that (0.17 cm2V-1s-1) of TRA-IID-TRA with clear cracks. Eventually, rational modulation of fused core in the π-conjugated D-A-D small molecule provides a new understanding of structural design for enhancing the performance of solution-processed organic semiconductors.
Subjects
donor-acceptor-donor | isoindigo | organic transistor | thienoisoindigo | triarylamine
Publisher
AMER CHEMICAL SOC
Type
journal article