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From plastic to electricity: What is the amazing journey of organic conductive materials?
Organic electronics is a field of materials science focused on the design, synthesis, characterization and application of organic molecules or polymers that exhibit good electronic properties. Compared with traditional inorganic conductors and semiconductors, organic electronic materials are constructed from organic (carbon-based) molecules or polymers. The development of these materials is based on synthetic strategies of organic chemistry and polymer chemistry. With the rise of organic materials, the potential for low cost has become one of the hopes for future electronic products.
The electrical conductivity of organic conductive materials can be adjusted by changing the concentration of dopants, and they have higher mechanical flexibility compared to traditional electronic materials.
Historical review
Research on organic conductive polymers dates back to the 19th century. Henry Letheby first described polyaniline in 1862, a material that was later proven to be electrically conductive. As the 1960s dawned, research into other polymeric organic materials began to accelerate. In 1977, scientists discovered that oxidation enhanced the conductivity of polyacetylene, a discovery that further recognized the potential of organic electronic materials.
In 2000, Alan J. Heeger, Alan G. MacDiarmid and Hideki Shirakawa were recognized for their research on polyacetylene and related conductive polymers. They jointly won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their research on chemicals.
Characteristics of conductive organic materials
Organic conductive materials can be divided into two major categories: polymers and conductive molecular solids and salts. Common polycyclic aromatic compounds such as pentacene and rubrene usually form semiconductor materials after partial oxidation. The mechanical properties of conductive polymers are equivalent to traditional organic polymers, but in terms of electrical conductivity, some organic polymers, such as polyacetylene, polypyrrole, and polythiophene, exhibit significant electrical conductivity. .
The potential of conductive polymers makes them promising for future electronics, including smart windows and electronic paper.
Organic photodiode (OLED)
An organic photodiode (OLED) is a device composed of a thin film of organic material that is driven by an electric current to produce light. The structure of OLED usually consists of anode, cathode, organic materials and conductive layers. Different fluorescent dyes can be selected according to the desired emission wavelength, which makes OLEDs highly tunable in color performance.
In 1990, Bradley, Burroughes and Friend demonstrated polymer photodiodes, which brought new possibilities to the OLED market.
Organic Field Effect Transistor (OFET)
Organic field effect transistor (OFET) is a field effect transistor that uses organic molecules or polymers as active semiconductor layers. The main advantage of such transistors is the ability to manufacture them at low temperatures, which enables different types of materials to be manipulated in a single device. The research and development of OFET is of great significance for the manufacture of large-area, flexible and low-cost electronic products.
Future Prospects of Organic Electronic Devices
Organic solar cells have the potential to enable low-cost production of solar energy. Compared with traditional glass solar cells, silicon thin film solar cells on elastic substrates can significantly reduce costs. At the same time, lightweight polymer substrates such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polycarbonate (PC) can also help further reduce production costs. Many companies such as Sony have reported full-color video displays made of pure organic materials, and biodegradable electronic devices and low-cost organic solar cells using organic materials have entered the market.
With the development of organic electronic products, electronic devices based on organic compounds will become more and more popular, and many new products are under development.
Conclusion
Advances in organic conductive materials have not only brought about more diversified electronic products, but also expanded our imagination in possible application fields. Can we expect future electronic technologies to be more environmentally friendly and innovative?
