Green and Scalable Synthesis of Conjugated Polymers via Flow Chemistry

Research question

Direct arylation polymerization(DAP) will be combined with continuous flow chemistry, which up to now has met with only limited success. It can be anticipated that the availability of a green and scalable continuous flow DAP process will accelerate development in fields ranging from organic bioelectronics to photovoltaics.

By demonstrating that reproducible continuous-flow DAP of conjugated polymers is feasible, the project will address the search for green and scalable synthesis routes of state-of-the-art organic semiconductor materials. The main research question that the project intends to tackle is the identification of process parameters that permit to carry out reproducible continuous-flow DAP of a wide range of conjugated polymers.

Sustainability aspects

The project will contribute to addressing SDG 12, Responsible Consumption and Production, by introducing a green method for the scalable production of conjugated polymers, a highly promising class of organic semiconductors. The results will aid organic electronics in maturing toward a technology that can reduce the carbon footprint of our rapidly expanding connected and augmented world.