POSTECH researchers develop organic chip to boost battery performance

A schematic diagram showing the chemical structure of a conductive two-dimensional polymer (C2P-9) with pendant groups and the coexistence of ultrafast electrons during hole (P-type) doping. [Provided by POSTECH]

A joint research team led by professors at South Korea’s Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) has developed a two-dimensional polymer with conductivity levels similar to graphene, the institution said on Tuesday.

Graphene, often dubbed as the new dream material, is 140 times faster than silicon in electron mobility and 200 times stronger than steel, but cannot be used as a semiconductor due to the absence of a bandgap, a difference in electron energy levels, which is crucial for controlling and regulating current in semiconductor materials.

The research team used triazacoronene, a chemical compound structurally similar to graphene, and introduced pendant groups.

This modification enabled the team to successfully synthesize two-dimensional polymers with significantly enhanced polymerization and reduce stacking between intermediate layers of the sheet-like triazacoronene monomers, thus increasing the solubility of the intermediate layers.

Experimental results showed that the polymer synthesized by the research team exhibited electron mobility more than 100 times faster than existing conductive two-dimensional polymers.

(From left) Professors Kim Ki-moon, Kim Jun-sung, Shim Ji-hoon and Dr. Lee Yeon-sang.

The research was led by Professors Kim Ki-moon and Shim Ji-hoon from the Department of Chemistry, Professor Kim Jun-sung from the Department of Physics, and Dr. Lee Yeon-sang from the Institute for Basic Science.

“We have succeeded in improving the slow electron mobility issue inherent in organic semiconductors and controlling the charge transfer path of electrons and holes at the molecular level,” said Professor Kim Ki-moon. “This could be used to improve the performance of materials in various industries such as batteries and catalysts.“