Glass Transition Temperature from the Chemical Structure of Conjugated Polymers

The glass transition temperature (Tg) is a key property that dictates the applicability of conjugated polymers. The Tg demarks the transition into a brittle glassy state, making its accurate prediction for conjugated polymers crucial for the design of soft, stretchable, or flexible electronics. We show that a single adjustable parameter can be used to build a relationship between the Tg and the molecular structure of 32 semiflexible (mostly conjugated) polymers that differ drastically in aromatic backbone and alkyl side chain chemistry.

Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF)