Materials

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SiPcs are a class of metal phthalocyanine (MPc) that has recently attracted interest from our group and several others. Due to the oxidation state of the silicon, we observe two axial bonds that are perpendicular to the aromatic macrocycle. These axial bonds serve as chemical handles to impart solubility and tune surface and bulk properties without having a significant effect on the optical and electrochemical properties, a significant advantage over divalent MPcs such as copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) or zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc). Interestingly, R2-SiPc derivatives appear to inherently behave as n-type semiconductors: they favour the transport of electrons over holes, which is uncommon for MPcs. Our group focuses on the synthesis, characterization and integration of this exciting class of materials into thin film electronics

Polymer dielectrics are a key component of organic thin film transistors, capacitors, and other electrical sensors. Our group designs, synthesizes, and characterizes different electrical and structural properties of novel polymers and their blends. We specifically prioritize bioderived and biodegradable materials and apply our considerable experience with nitroxide mediated polymerization to create purpose built, scalable, and green materials for next generation flexible organic electronics. Our main polymer research focuses on the design of novel random and block copolymers for OTFTs and sensors, the study of interfacial interactions between device layers, and the development of cross-linking functionalities to optimize device performance while building in recyclability and industrial scalability.