Donor-acceptor semiconducting polymers based on thiazole-containing fused-rings for organic field-effect transistors

Abstract

We have designed and synthesized a series of donor-acceptor type semiconducting polymers based on thiazole-containing fused-rings (thiazolothiazole and benzobisthiazole) in the polythiophene backbone, in order to enhance the intermolecular n-n interaction and thus the charge carrier mobility of the semiconducting polymers. Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) based on the polymers demonstrated charge carrier mobilities as high as 0.30 cm2/Vs, which is very high for semiconducting polymers. The careful molecular design has successfully led to unusually stable polymers, as they did not show noticeable degradations in the OFET performances after the storage over a period of few months in humidity air. With these results, the polymers are quite feasible for use in printable electronics. © 2011, The Society of Polymer Science, Japan.