Author ORCID Identifier
Date Available
11-3-2023
Year of Publication
2023
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Document Type
Doctoral Dissertation
College
Arts and Sciences
Department/School/Program
Chemistry
First Advisor
Dr. John E. Anthony
Abstract
Organic materials offer promising potential for the next generation of electronic devices, as their tunability, processability, and low-temperature manufacturing make them a cheap and versatile alternative to traditional silicon-based electronics. The ability to systematically alter the electronic properties of organic materials is vital for their incorporation into device applications. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are of significant interest for organic electronic applications, as relevant properties are highly dependent on their size, structure, and functionalities, and thus can be tuned to fit a wide variety of applications. Due to the enormous number of structural isomers available in larger PAHs, the development of design protocols is necessary to efficiently develop high-performing materials. Linear extension of the aromatic core, such as that seen in the acene series, is an efficient yet underexplored method for tuning the electronic properties of larger PAHs.
The role of ring annulation is explored in Chapter 2 and Chapter 3, which will detail the synthesis and properties of PAHs of similar size but significantly different electronic structures. The role of linear ring extension in 2-D PAHs is also explored, demonstrating that the electronic structure of larger PAHs can be systematically tuned with significant implications for their applications and stability. The role of ring annulation is explored further in Chapter 4, in which a similar class of materials to that explored in Chapter 3 is examined to further elucidate how subtle changes in the PAH backbone can impact electronic properties. Chapter 5 details the tuning of a series of dyes through functionalization, with the goal of altering their optical properties for implementation into radiation sensors. The development of novel synthetic procedures is described, which allows for systematic tuning of electronic properties in each class of aromatic compounds.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2023.418
Funding Information
These studies were supported by:
Defense Threat Reduction Agency, (HDTRA122C0002) from 2022-2023
National Science Foundation-Division of Materials Research (no.1627428) from 2020-2023.
National Science Foundation (no.1849213). from 2020-2023.
Recommended Citation
Smith, Tanner, "Exploring the Role of Ring Annulation in Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons for Organic Electronic Applications" (2023). Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry. 182.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/chemistry_etds/182
