We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Towards high charge-carrier mobilities by rational design of the shape and periphery of discotics.
- Authors
Xinliang Feng; Marcon, Valentina; Pisula, Wojciech; Hansen, Michael Ryan; Kirkpatrick, James; Grozema, Ferdinand; Andrienko, Denis; Kremer, Kurt; Müllen, Klaus
- Abstract
Discotic liquid crystals are a promising class of materials for molecular electronics thanks to their self-organization and charge transporting properties. The best discotics so far are built around the coronene unit and possess six-fold symmetry. In the discotic phase six-fold-symmetric molecules stack with an average twist of 30∘, whereas the angle that would lead to the greatest electronic coupling is 60∘. Here, a molecule with three-fold symmetry and alternating hydrophilic/hydrophobic side chains is synthesized and X-ray scattering is used to prove the formation of the desired helical microstructure. Time-resolved microwave-conductivity measurements show that the material has indeed a very high mobility, 0.2 cm2 V−1 s−1. The assemblies of molecules are simulated using molecular dynamics, confirming the model deduced from X-ray scattering. The simulated structures, together with quantum-chemical techniques, prove that mobility is still limited by structural defects and that a defect-free assembly could lead to mobilities in excess of 10 cm2 V−1 s−1.
- Subjects
LIQUID crystals; MOLECULAR self-assembly; CHARGE transfer in biology; MOLECULAR electronics; MOLECULAR dynamics; MOLECULAR structure
- Publication
Nature Materials, 2009, Vol 8, Issue 5, p421
- ISSN
1476-1122
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1038/nmat2427