Microwave-Assisted Classic Ullmann C–C Coupling Polymerization for Acceptor-Acceptor Homopolymers

Abstract

Developing cheap, clean and atomic-efficient synthetic methodologies for conjugated polymers are always critical for the field of organic electronics. Herein, classic Ullmann coupling polymerization is developed to synthesize a series of Acceptor-Acceptor (A-A) type homopolymers with microwave-assistance, which are supported by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF), elemental analysis (EA) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The physicochemical properties of these polymers are studied by UV-vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and density functional theory (DFT) calculation. Furthermore, these A-A homopolymers are used as acceptors for all-polymer solar cells (All-PSCs), affording a promising efficiency of 3.08%, which is the highest value for A-A-homopolymer-based organic solar cells.