Thermally converted anthracene-based fully conjugated polymers for field-effect transistors via molecular doping

Abstract

Anthracenes have become one of most important organic semiconducting materials owing to the high stability and superior mobility. However, anthracene-based polymers lag far behind small-molecule counterparts in the light of material quantity and carrier mobility. Generally, solubilizing groups such as alkyl chains need to be introduced to conjugated polymer backbone for solution processability, which reduce the density of π electrons and sterically disturb the π stacking, hence degrading charge transport performance. Herein, we synthesize a series of anthracene-based fully conjugated polymers by thermal conversion via retro-Diels-Alder reaction, which were confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis, FT-IR, and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. The anthracene-based polymers can resist effectively organic common solvents without affecting electrical properties. Furthermore, oriented fibrous thin film can be achieved by doping of electron acceptors such as 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene (TCNB) and 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ), showing 4–5 times increased carrier mobilities relative to pristine films.