Alternating arrays of different conjugated polymers utilizing a synthetic cross-linker

Exploring an approach to control the nanostructures of pconjugated polymers has been an important research target in materials science, which has led to the creation of various functional materials with optimized p-electronic properties.In particular, nanostructures of conjugated oligomer/polymer blends have received growing interest in their applications, which include electronic devices such as fieldeffect transistors, light-emitting diodes, photovoltaic cells.Several methods for controlling dimensionality, nanostructure, and morphology have been achieved through chemical and physical techniques that utilize microphase separation, layer-by-layer method, and so forth.Supramolecular approaches also have been applied for the alignment and organization of conjugated oligomers and polymers in a noncovalent manner, use of host matrix, liquid-crystalline phase, airwater interface, and so forth.From a supramolecular point of view, we recently proposed a new approach toward the alignment of conjugated polymers inspired by actin filament bundling proteins. A supramolecular cross-linking molecule ("aligner"), possessing conjugated polymer binding sites, bundles and aligns them in a noncovalent fashion. The concepts we have reported complement the existing techniques for supramolecular and macromolecular assembly. Introducing interactive sites for conjugated polymers at the spacial position of the aligner molecules allows control over the dimensions, morphologies, and interpolymer spacings.This approach basically permits the construction of alternating arrays of different conjugated polymers, which depends upon the design of an aligner molecule displaying affinities toward such polymers.