pH-Directed Aggregation to Control Photoconductivity in Self-Assembled Perylene Bisimides



Draper, Emily R, Greeves, Benjamin J, Barrow, Michael, Schweins, Ralf, Zwijnenburg, Martijn A and Adams, Dave J
(2017) pH-Directed Aggregation to Control Photoconductivity in Self-Assembled Perylene Bisimides. CHEM, 2 (5). pp. 716-731.

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Abstract

Perylene bisimides (PBIs) are one example of useful π-conjugated molecules that can be used in optoelectronic devices as n-type materials with strong visible light absorption. PBIs can self-assemble into a range of structures, but it is rare to be able to control the packing such that the same PBI can form either H-type or J-type aggregates. This is important because the conductivity pathways and optoelectronic properties are directly affected by this packing. Here, we show that we can control the packing of a single PBI functionalized with an amino acid by a subtle change in pH. Under one set of conditions, H-type aggregates form a gel when the pH is decreased. At a slightly different set of starting conditions, J-type aggregates are formed, but they cannot form a gel when the pH is lowered. We show that films formed from the self-assembled structures have very different photoconductive properties.

Item Type: Article
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 25 Feb 2019 13:34
Last Modified: 19 Jan 2023 01:01
DOI: 10.1016/j.chempr.2017.03.022
Open Access URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chempr.2017.03.022
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URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3033390