Two-dimensional ladder-type conjugated polymers for next-generation electronics

Organic mixed ionic–electronic conductors are crucial for low-voltage operating, solution processable, and biocompatible electrochemical devices.

Recently, I found that 1D ladder-type conjugated polymer can stabilize high-concentration charge carriers under heavily electrochemical doping due to their fully fused conjugated backbone, enabling their unique performance in organic electrochemical transistors.

However, solid-state disorder and aggregates limit their mobility and volume capacitance, hindering them from developing compact, highly integrated, and high-frequency devices.

In this project, I will develop a new generation of high-performance organic mixed ionic–electronic conductors based on 2D ladder-type conjugated polymers characterized by 2D rigid backbones, orderliness, and high-active area.

I will: 1) synthesize high-mobility p-type and n-type 2D ladder-type conjugated polymers (month 1-36); 2) develop 2D ladder-type conjugated polymer thin film processing methods (month 7-42); 3) demonstrate their high-performance electrochemical circuits (month 13-48). The project team will consist of the applicant (50% involvement) and one postdoc (40% involvement).

The novel synthesis and processing methods for 2D ladder-type conjugated polymers will greatly expand knowledge of high-performance mixed ionic–electronic conductors, with potential significant breakthroughs in 2D polymer (opto)electronics, bioelectronics, energy storage, and electrocatalysis.