POS1-0259
Synthetic Simplicity in Organic Electronics: From Polymer Design to Post-Polymerisation Functionalisation
Topic
S1. Polymer Synthesis
When and Where
Sep 30, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Heesuk KIM
Jinhye BAE
Presenter(s)
Martina Rimmele (Imperial College London)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
The development of organic electronic materials has often relied on increasingly complex molecular designs to achieve improved device performance. While successful, this strategy can result in lengthy synthetic routes and limited scalability. An alternative approach is to employ synthetic simplicity as a guiding design principle, combining accessible polymer platforms with post-polymerisation functionalisation strategies to introduce targeted functionality. In this contribution, the development of conjugated polymers for organic electronics through a simplicity-driven design philosophy is discussed. Building on the success of FO6-T, a polymer accessible in only two steps from commercially available starting materials and capable of delivering excellent performance in both organic photodetectors and photovoltaics, we sought to further expand its functionality through post-polymerisation modification. In particular we designed organosilane-functionalised derivatives of FO6-T, which provide access to materials with enhanced mechanical compliance while retaining favourable optoelectronic characteristics. The resulting polymer, FO6-T-Si, enables flexible narrowband organic photodetectors operating via charge collection narrowing, achieving efficient near-infrared (NIR) detection together with excellent operational stability under repeated mechanical deformation. These results demonstrate how post-polymerisation functionalisation can complement simple polymer design, offering a versatile route to high-performance materials for next-generation organic electronic applications.
