A state-of-the-art semiconductor compound

A team of chemists from the University of New Hampshire prepared the first stable derivative of the substance called nonacene, to create a compound that holds great promise for making flexible organic electronic components such as large displays, solar cells, and the like.

A team of chemists from the University of New Hampshire prepared the first stable derivative of the substance called nonacene, to create a compound that holds great promise for making flexible organic electronic components such as large displays, solar cells, and the like.

The research team, led by organic chemistry professor Glen Miller, published its findings in the scientific journal Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Nonacene, a compound with nine benzene rings connected along a straight line, belongs to a family of organic semiconductors called acenes (the entry on Wikipedia) which are considered the best due to their electronic properties. However, they are very unstable since they oxidize quickly.

"We knew that nonacene had highly desirable electronic properties, but we also knew that it could not be prepared or used in a practical way," explains the lead researcher.

The research team made the large derivative of the nonacne from smaller pieces, similar to building with Lego. The key to the stability of the compound lies in the addition of an arylthio chemical group, a stable collection of atoms containing sulfur atoms.

"The skeleton of the ferret is still there, but it contains additional chemical groups associated with it," explains the lead researcher. This addition not only made the derivative stable, but also soluble, a fact that further promotes its usefulness.

Nunatzenim has the ability to be used as a basis for the further development of flexible organic electronic devices: computer monitors so thin that they can be folded and even embedded in clothing. The researchers point out that the army officials are interested in the technology since it will make it possible to develop chameleon-like camouflage uniforms that will change dynamically depending on the external environment.

Organic solar cells are another possible application of nonacenes - these cells will be more economical since they will contain cheap organic materials instead of expensive crystalline silicon, which is used in most cells today.

Although the lead researcher points out that their work is only the first step toward making stable nonacene devices, "these compounds significantly advance all of these technologies forward."

"Prior to our work, the thought of making stable organic electronic devices based on nunatzen or its derivatives was just a dream," he adds. "Thanks to this step, we are much closer to realizing this dream."

The news about the study

Abstract of the scientific article