Molecular Perylene Diimide Organic Film Formation: Utility of Polymers and Volatile Additives to Control Crystalline Aggregation

Abstract

Thin film formation is a key principle behind the development of robust and versatile organic electronic devices. This thesis details an extension of the NSERC GreEN directive to develop a fully printed OFET-based temperature sensor. Chapter one introduces several important principles of film formation, key techniques for thin film characterisation as well as the model perylene diimide chromophore used in the fabrication of semiconducting thin films herein. Chapter two outlines a known N-annulated perylene diimide dimer which has been blended with a commodity thermoplastic polymer to yield stable and robust thin films which resist damage from bending. Chapter three extends the project by looking at a synthetically less complex derivative with surprising film forming properties, as well as the comparison of the material to several analogues. Chapter four builds on the insights of chapter two and three to propose a new commodity polymer as well as five new synthetic targets to fulfill the GreEN directive of a printed OFET-based temperature sensor. Finally, two non-supplementary appendices are included: Appendix A extends the characterisation of perylene diimide film formation with a novel tetramer while Appendix B develops design principles for the solution processing of a perylene diimide acid dye.