Functional Organic Polymers and Nanostructures
Gavvalapalli Research Group
Bottom-Up and Solution Phase Synthesis of
Higher Dimensional π-Conjugated Materials
Figure taken without permission from: Macromolecules., 2017, 50, 523
pi-Conjugated polymers extend pi-conjugation in one-dimension. Extending conjugation beyond one-dimension brings in intriguing optical and electronic properties. A widely known 2D-conjugated material is graphene. Other classes of higher dimensional conjugated polymers are nanoribbons, conjugated microporous polymers. However, due to strong intersheet interactions, it is difficult to synthesize these higher dimensional polymers in solution phase without aggregation. Such control over synthesis enable control over growth and chemical functionalization leading to materials with desired electronic properties similar to that of 1D-conjugated polymers. This project aims to develop novel building blocks that render a new class of 1D-π-conjugated polymers as well as rational and controlled synthesis of higher dimensional-π-conjugated polymers. Toward this we have developed covalent molecular straps to mask the pi-face of the polymer and hinder interchain interactions. Below are a few examples where the straps have enabled the synthesis of soluble higher dimensional pi-conjugated polymers.
Conjugated Microporous Polymers
Soluble hyperbranched conjugated Polymers
Soluble Nanoladder Oligomers (H-mers)
Publication: Mater. Adv., 2020, 1, 2917-2925. DOI: 10.1039/D0MA00424C