Synthesis and Characterization of a Pyromellitic Diimide-Based Polymer with C- and N-Main Chain Links: Matrix for Solution-Processable n-Channel Field-Effect Transistors

Abstract

A highly soluble pyromellitic diimide-based polymer was obtained through imidization polymerization. The novel architecture features diimide subunits linked alternately at 3-6 and N,N' positions. The polymer is highly transparent in the near ultraviolet-visible regions. Smooth and uniform thin-films were obtained through spin-coating even after blending the polymer with PCBM in 1:9 polymer:PCBM weight ratio. While the polymer itself has modest electron mobility in typical bottom-gate top-contact OFETs, an electron mobility of 3 × 10(-3) cm(2)V(-1)s(-1) was achieved for the blend, which increased to 10(-2) cm(2)V(-1)s(-1) on exposure to propylamine. Thus, polyimides are demonstrated as promising binder materials for solution-processible n-channel semiconductor blends, of which very few examples are known.