High-performance n-Type Polymers Based on Multiple Electron-withdrawing Groups Decorated (E)-1,2-Di(thiophen-2-yl)ethene Building Blocks

Ma, Jianeng; Chen, Yongsheng; Chen, Jiawei; Tang, Jie; Li, Yanru; Li, Ruiping; Yu, Liyang; Fei, Zhuping

doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5229-z

Title: High-performance n-Type Polymers Based on Multiple Electron-withdrawing Groups Decorated (E)-1,2-Di(thiophen-2-yl)ethene Building Blocks

Journal Article · Mon Nov 10 00:00:00 UTC 2025 · Chemical Research in Chinese Universities

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40242-025-5229-z · OSTI ID:3003348

Ma, Jianeng ^[1]; Chen, Yongsheng ^[1]; Chen, Jiawei ^[1]; Tang, Jie ^[2]; Li, Yanru ^[1];

^[3]; Yu, Liyang ^[2]; Fei, Zhuping ^[1]

Tianjin Univ. (China)
Southwest Jiaotong Univ., Chengdu (China)
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II)

The performance of n-type conjugated polymers lags far behind that of p-type polymers, which significantly restricts the development of organic electronics. The (E)-1,2-di(thiophen-2-yl)ethene (TVT) unit, owing to its unique advantages, has been widely applied in the design of p-type polymer semiconductors. Previous studies have demonstrated that introducing electron-withdrawing groups can lower the frontier orbital energy levels of polymers and enhance electron injection/transporting capabilities. Based on this, we proposed incorporating multiple electronwithdrawing groups, such as amide groups, fluorine atoms, and cyano groups, into the polymer backbones of TVT-based polymer to facilitate the electron transport. Here, we successfully designed and synthesized the polymers TVTDA-4FTVT and TVTDA-2F2CNTVT. Both polymers exhibited low frontier orbital energy levels. Due to its significantly higher crystallization tendency and favorable intermolecular packing structure, the organic field-effect transistor (OFET) device based on TVTDA-4FTVT demonstrated an electron mobility one order of magnitude higher than that of TVTDA-2F2CNTVT. TVTDA-4FTVT showed the highest electron mobility of 0.87 cm²·V⁻¹·s⁻¹, while TVTDA-2F2CNTVT exhibited the highest electron mobility of 0.049 cm²·V⁻¹·s⁻¹. Owing to its deeper lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) level, the OFET devices based on TVTDA-2F2CNTVT showed good air stability after being placed in a natural environment for 15 d.

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Research Organization:: Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities (SUF)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0012704

OSTI ID:: 3003348

Report Number(s):: BNL--229146-2025-JAAM

Journal Information:: Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, Journal Name: Chemical Research in Chinese Universities Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 41; ISSN 2210-3171; ISSN 1005-9040

Publisher:: SpringerCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Organic field-effect transistor
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electron-withdrawing groups
mobility
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Title: High-performance n-Type Polymers Based on Multiple Electron-withdrawing Groups Decorated (E)-1,2-Di(thiophen-2-yl)ethene Building Blocks

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