Lattice symmetry-guided charge transport in 2D supramolecular polymers promotes triplet formation

Advanced Science (2024)

 

Researchers look at how changing the shape of organic molecules can affect the way they change from a singlet state (where two electrons are paired) to a triplet state (where two electrons have parallel spins). By tweaking the molecular structure, certain rules about how spins interact can be loosened, making it easier for this state change to happen.

In this study, researchers extend this concept to supramolecular polymers — large molecules made up of smaller, weakly interacting units.

They found that the symmetry of the polymer’s structure plays a key role in how efficiently triplet states form. Using a special technique, they discovered that a specific way that electrons combine as pairs — dictated by the polymer structure — results in a high efficiency of triplet state formation.

By designing the lattice structure of polymers, it’s possible to control how effectively triplet states form, which is important for applications in the development of materials for quantum devices.

The paper authors are Ruggero Emmanuele, Hiroaki Sai, Jia-Shiang Chen, Darien Morrow, Luka Đorđević, David Gosztola, Saw Wai Hla, Samuel Stupp and Xuedan Ma, who conducted their work at Argonne National Laboratory, Northwestern University and Ohio University.