Researchers synthesise novel molecule for organic semiconductors
Researchers, led by Professor Young S. Park, at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) have achieved a significant breakthrough in the field of organic semiconductors.
The team successfully synthesised and characterised a novel molecule called “BNBN anthracene” — opening up new possibilities for the development of advanced electronic devices based on organic semiconductors.
Organic semiconductors play a crucial role in improving the movement and light properties of electrons in carbon-centered organic electronic devices. The team’s research focused on enhancing the chemical diversity of these semiconductors by replacing carbon-carbon (C−C) bonds with isoelectronic boron-nitrogen (B−N) bonds. This substitution allows for precise modulation of the electronic properties without significant structural changes.
The researchers successfully synthesized the BNBN anthracene derivative, which contains a continuous BNBN unit formed by converting the BOBN unit at the zigzag edge. Compared to conventional anthracene derivatives composed solely of carbon, the BNBN anthracene exhibited significant variations in the C−C bond length and a larger highest occupied molecular orbital–lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy gap.
In addition to its unique properties, the BNBN anthracene derivative demonstrated promising potential for application in organic electronics. When used as the blue host in an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), the BOBN anthracene exhibited a remarkably low driving voltage of 3.1-V, along with higher efficiency in terms of current utilization, energy efficiency, and light emission.
Characteristics of OLED devices using BOBN anthracene (blue line) and 2-phenylanthracene (black line) as the blue host. (a) Device architecture of OLED. (b) Electroluminescence (EL) spectra of device recorded at 10 mA cm−2. (c) Current density–driving voltage characteristics. (d) Luminance–driving voltage characteristics. Image courtesy of UNIST.
The research team further confirmed the properties of the BNBN anthracene derivative by studying its crystal structure using an X-ray diffractometer. This analysis revealed structural changes, such as bonding length and angle, resulting from the boron-nitrogen (BN) bonding.
“Our study on anthracene, a type of acene widely recognized as an organic semiconductor, has laid the groundwork for future advancements in the field,” commented Songhua Jeong, the first author of this study. “The continuous BN bonding synthesized through this research holds great potential for applications in organic semiconductors.”
Professor Park added, “The synthesis and characterization of compounds with continuous boron-nitrogen (BN) bonds contribute to fundamental research in chemistry. It provides a valuable tool for synthesizing new compounds and controlling their electronic properties.”
Top image: Schematic image, showing the syntheses of BOBN anthracene and BNBN anthracene. Courtesy of UNIST.
Reference: Seonghwa Jeong, Eunji Park, Jiyeon Kim, et al., “Increasing Chemical Diversity of B2N2 Anthracene Derivatives by Introducing Continuous Multiple Boron-Nitrogen Units,” Angewandte Chemie, International Edition, (2023). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202314148.
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