Synthesis and Characterization of the Donor-Acceptor Conjugated Polymer PBDB-T Implementing Group IV Element Germanium

Abstract

Here, we synthesized and characterized a novel two-dimensional (2D) conjugated electron donor–acceptor (D-A) copolymer (PBDB-T-Ge), wherein the substituent of triethyl germanium was added to the electron donor unit of the polymer. The Turbo–Grignard reaction was used to implement the group IV element into the polymer, resulting in a yield of 86%. This corresponding polymer, PBDB-T-Ge, exhibited a down-shift in the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level to −5.45 eV while the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) level was −3.64 eV. The peaks in UV-Vis absorption and the PL emission of PBDB-T-Ge were observed at 484 nm and 615 nm, respectively.

Keywords

• electron donor and acceptor
• conjugated polymers
• fluorescent polymers
• synthesis
• group IV element
• polymer solar cells