Electrochemical crosslinking strategies using redox-active units for optoelectronic thin film applications

Abstract

In this dissertation the electrochemical reactivity of different classes of redox molecules of optoelectronics interest, including thiophene and arylamine derivatives, is studied and exploited to crosslink precursor systems endowed with multiple dimerization sites to obtain functional electroactive films. The latter are characterized by a well-defined and controlled π-conjugation and redox behavior, which can be directly related to the one of the dimer of the starting redox unit. In the first section of the thesis, the electrochemical crosslinking from solution of different multimeric systems, including arylamine based push-pull molecules was exploited. In the second part of the thesis, insight of oxidative crosslinking as a post-solution deposition step to obtain electroactive films is provided. The dimerizing ability of triarylamine (TPA) and carbazole (Cbz) in the form of redox-active pendant units on a saturated polymer backbone as crosslinkers was studied upon oxidation.