Conjugated Polymer-Porphyrin Complexes for Organic Electronics

We present the synthesis of novel conjugated polymer-porphyrin complexes for use in organic electronics. Linear and star-shaped platinated porphyrins were attached to regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) arms to investigate whether porphyrin stacking and increased dimensionality can be used to control polymer morphology. The novel materials display similar optical properties to P3HT, but give higher mobilities when used in organic field-effect transistors. Atomic force microscopy measurements show that incorporation of only a small amount of porphyrin into the conjugated polymer backbone leads to increased aggregation. These materials demonstrate that polymer morphology and performance can be tuned and enhanced effectively through the use of conjugatively linked porphyrins.