The MP3 project introduces a new approach for the synthesis of organic semiconductors which allow the preparation of materials characterized by well-defined and complementary electronic properties, which would be otherwise inaccessible. This is made possible by employing a novel class of precursors that are designed to have superior solubility and stability, thus allowing simpler and milder fabrication procedures, and from which one can obtain the target materials during a final, high-yielding, and simple reaction. This approach is often found in the preparation of organic (semi)conductors when the low solubility is an issue.
Unlike other type of precursors, which are designed to yield only one material, the approach developed with MP3 allows the preparation of different materials depending on the final treatment they undergo. In this sense, these latter can display different chemical and electronic properties, while still originating from an identical parent molecule – from this peculiarity originates the name of the project Multi-Potent Polymer Precursors, MP3. Remarkably, one can even obtain semiconducting polymers characterized by complementary electronic properties, i.e. able to transport either holes (p-type transport) or electrons (n-type transport), even from the same precursor layer.
This research can have important implications in diverse and interdisciplinary fields such as organic electronics, conformable devices, and the energy sector. To start, the possibility of achieving complementary transport properties (and p-n junctions) on a single layer is an important step forward toward the fabrication of devices comprising all-organic complex logic gates which require the presence of p and n type regions simultaneously. This is, for example, the case of the ubiquitous silicon-based CMOS technology, however, its analogue in organic electronics is still lacking or requires complex multi-level designs which limits their scope.
The low-bandgap polymers prepared through the MP3 approach also offer interesting redox proprieties which can be useful in the fabrication of thin, low-voltage displays that can find application in conformable devices and e-skin applications to display information in real-time and low energy consumption.
In addition, possible application to the energy sector are particularly appealing, for example as active materials in organic photovoltaics or as electrode material in lithium-batteries or battery technologies based on different, more abundant and environmentally friendly, metal ions. Concerning this latter point, the intrinsic light-weight of these materials and their reliable redox chemistry can result in high capacitance and fast kinetics, two ideal features for the development of the future of batteries.
In particular, the main objective of the MP3 project was to develop an innovative precursor approach which would allow the synthesis and characterization of high-molecular weight, fully-conjugated, organic semiconducting materials with complementary electronic properties, and their implementation in actual devices to harness their properties.
