Thiazolothiazole-containing polythiophenes with low HOMO level and high hole mobility for polymer solar cells
(4875–4885)Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer  Chemistry 49 #22 (2011)
Shi et al of theChinese Academy of Sciences, China, synthesized two regiochemically defined polythiophenes containing thiazolothiazole acceptor unit by palladium(0)-catalyzed Stille coupling reaction.  Polymer solar cells (PSCs) were fabricated based on the blend of the polymers and methanofullerene[6,6]-phenyl C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM). The PSC based on P1:PC71BM (1:2, w/w) exhibits a power conversion efficiency of 2.7% under AM 1.5, 100 mW cm−2, two times of that based on P2:PC71BM. The higher efficiency is attributed to lower HOMO (−5.6 eV) and smaller phase separation scale in P1:PC71BM blend. (RDC 10/13/2011)

Nonlinear optical characterization of new thiophene-based conjugated polymers for photonic switching applications
(312–321)Advances in Polymer Technology 30 #4 (2011)
Hegde et al of the National Institute of Technology Karnataka and Raman Research Institute, India, synthesized new donor−acceptor-type conjugated polymers carrying 1,3,4-oxadiazolyl-naphthalene and 3,4-(ethylenedioxy/diphenyl)-thiophene moieties from 2,2′-sulfanediyldiacetic acid and diethyl ethanedioate through multistep reactions. The new polymers have well-defined structures, good thermal stability, and band gaps of 1.98 and 1.88 eV, respectively.  They emit bluish-green fluorescence both in solution and in film state. Interestingly, these polymers show saturable absorption behavior.  The results of nonlinear optical studies reveal that they are potential candidates for photonic switching device applications.  (RDC 10/11/2011)

Synthesis and self-assembly of diblock copolymers composed of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and poly(fluorooctyl methacrylate) segments
(4680–4686)Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer  Chemistry 49 #21 (2011)
Harun-Or et al, South Korea, synthesized regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene)-b-poly(1H,1H-dihydro perfluorooctyl methacrylate) (P3HT-b-PFOMA) diblock copolymers by atom transfer radical polymerization of fluorooctyl methacrylate using bromoester terminated poly(3-hexylthiophene) macroinitiators in order to investigate their morphological properties.  The block copolymers are able to undergo microphase separation and self-assemble into well-defined and organized nanofibrillar-like micellar morphology. The development of the morphology of P3HT-b-PFOMA block copolymers was investigated after annealing in solvent vapor and also in supercritical CO2.  (RDC 10/4/2011)

Synthesis and characterization of block copolythiophene with hexyl and triethylene glycol side chains
(3687-3695)  Polymer 52 #17 (2011)
Higashihara et al, Japan and South Korea, synthesized a well-defined diblock copolythiophene, poly(3-hexylthiophene)-b-poly(3-(2-(2-(2-methoxyethoxy) ethoxy)ethoxy) methylthiophene) (P3HT-b-P3TEGT) by a Grignard metathesis (GRIM) polymerization.  The block components in films form vertically oriented lamellar structure via phase separation.  Furthermore, both the phases were found to consist of molecular multi-layers respectively, in which the layers stack in the out-of-plane of the film. The P3HT phase exhibited crystalline, which is originated from the π−π stacked thiophene backbones. In contrast, the poly(3-(2-(2-(2-methoxyethoxy) ethoxy)ethoxy) methylthiophene) (P3TEGT) phase revealed amorphous. Overall, the amphiphilic nature of P3HT-b-P3TEGT successfully demonstrated to lead to well-defined self-assembly structure in films.  (RDC 8/4/2011)