Abstract: A composition of matter useful in an electrolyte, comprising a polymer including: a repeat unit, the repeat unit including a backbone section; and a side chain attached to the backbone section, wherein the side chain includes a ligand moiety configured to ionically bond to a lithium ion. The polymer has a glass transition temperature (e.g., less than room temperature) wherein the polymer is in a solid state during operation of a lithium ion battery comprising an electrolyte including the polymer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides thermoreversible polymers, hydrogel compositions comprising the thermoreversible polymers, as well as methods of making and using the thermoreversible polymers.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to graded thermoelectric materials. In one aspect, a method includes providing a plurality of nanostructures. The plurality of nanostructures comprise a thermoelectric material, with nanostructures of the plurality of nanostructures having first ligands disposed on surfaces of the nanostructures. The plurality of nanostructures is deposited on a substrate to form a layer. The layer is contacted with a solution containing second ligands. A ligand exchange process occurs where some of the first ligands disposed on the plurality of nanostructures are replaced with the second ligands. A first region of the layer is removed from contact with the solution so that the ligand exchange process does not occur in the first region of the layer, with the ligand exchange process occurring in the layer in contact with the solution. The layer is then removed from contact with the solution.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for doping a substrate, comprising disposing a composition comprising a dopant-containing copolymer and a solvent on a substrate; and annealing the substrate at a temperature of 750 to 1300° C. for 0.1 second to 24 hours to diffuse a dopant into the substrate; wherein the dopant-containing copolymer comprises a non-dopant-containing polymer and a dopant-containing polymer; and where the dopant-containing polymer is a polymer having a covalently or ionically bound dopant atom and is present in a smaller volume fraction than the non-dopant-containing polymer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for doping a substrate, comprising disposing a coating of a composition comprising a copolymer, a dopant precursor and a solvent on a substrate; where the copolymer is capable of phase segregating and embedding the dopant precursor while in solution; and annealing the substrate at a temperature of 750 to 1300° C. for 0.1 second to 24 hours to diffuse the dopant into the substrate. Disclosed herein too is a semiconductor substrate comprising embedded dopant domains of diameter 3 to 30 nanometers; where the domains comprise Group 13 or Group 15 atoms, wherein the embedded spherical domains are located within 30 nanometers of the substrate surface.

Abstract: Synthesis of lyotropic semiconducting polymers having novel side chains enabling control over crystalline fraction, crystalline orientation, and the unit cell (specifically the ?-stacking distance). Moving the branch point in the side chain further from the conjugated backbone not only retains the lyotropic liquid crystalline behavior as observed by UV-vis and POM, but also achieves reduced ?-stacking distance. This results in higher charge carrier mobility, reaching (in one or more examples) a mobility of at least 0.41 cm2V?1s?1 when the polymers were non-aligned.

Abstract: Design of side chains yielding highly amphiphilic conjugated polymers is proven to be an effective and general method to access lyotropic liquid crystalline mesophases, allowing greater control over crystalline morphology and improving transistor performance. The general strategy enables variations in structure and interactions that impact alignment and use of liquid crystalline alignment methods. Specifically, solvent-polymer interactions are harnessed to facilitate the formation of high quality polymer crystals in solution. Crystallinity developed in solution is then transferred to the solid state, and thin films of donor-acceptor copolymers cast from lyotropic solutions exhibit improved crystalline order in both the alkyl and ?-stacking directions. Due to this improved crystallinity, transistors with active layers cast from lyotropic solutions exhibit a significant improvement in carrier mobility compared to those cast from isotropic solution.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to surface doping of nanostructures. In one aspect a plurality of nanostructures is fabricated with a solution-based process using a solvent. The plurality of nanostructures comprises a semiconductor. Each of the plurality of nanostructures has a surface with capping species attached to the surface. The plurality of nanostructures is mixed in the solvent with a dopant compound that includes doping species. During the mixing the capping species on the surfaces of the plurality of nanostructures are replaced by the doping species. Charge carriers are transferred between the doping species and the plurality of nanostructures.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides thermoreversible polymers, hydrogel compositions comprising the thermoreversible polymers, as well as methods of making and using the thermoreversible polymers.

Abstract: Design of side chains yielding highly amphiphilic conjugated polymers is proven to be an effective and general method to access lyotropic liquid crystalline mesophases, allowing greater control over crystalline morphology and improving transistor performance. The general strategy enables variations in structure and interactions that impact alignment and use of liquid crystalline alignment methods. Specifically, solvent-polymer interactions are harnessed to facilitate the formation of high quality polymer crystals in solution. Crystallinity developed in solution is then transferred to the solid state, and thin films of donor-acceptor copolymers cast from lyotropic solutions exhibit improved crystalline order in both the alkyl and ?-stacking directions. Due to this improved crystallinity, transistors with active layers cast from lyotropic solutions exhibit a significant improvement in carrier mobility compared to those cast from isotropic solution.

Abstract: The present invention provides for an inorganic nanostructure-organic polymer heterostructure, useful as a thermoelectric composite material, comprising (a) an inorganic nanostructure, and (b) an electrically conductive organic polymer disposed on the inorganic nanostructure. Both the inorganic nanostructure and the electrically conductive organic polymer are solution-processable.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for doping a substrate, comprising disposing a coating of a composition comprising a copolymer, a dopant precursor and a solvent on a substrate; where the copolymer is capable of phase segregating and embedding the dopant precursor while in solution; and annealing the substrate at a temperature of 750 to 1300° C. for 0.1 second to 24 hours to diffuse the dopant into the substrate. Disclosed herein too is a semiconductor substrate comprising embedded dopant domains of diameter 3 to 30 nanometers; where the domains comprise Group 13 or Group 15 atoms, wherein the embedded spherical domains are located within 30 nanometers of the substrate surface.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to graded thermoelectric materials. In one aspect, a method includes providing a plurality of nanostructures. The plurality of nanostructures comprise a thermoelectric material, with nanostructures of the plurality of nanostructures having first ligands disposed on surfaces of the nanostructures. The plurality of nanostructures is deposited on a substrate to form a layer. The layer is contacted with a solution containing second ligands. A ligand exchange process occurs where some of the first ligands disposed on the plurality of nanostructures are replaced with the second ligands. A first region of the layer is removed from contact with the solution so that the ligand exchange process does not occur in the first region of the layer, with the ligand exchange process occurring in the layer in contact with the solution. The layer is then removed from contact with the solution.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to surface doping of nanostructures. In one aspect a plurality of nanostructures is fabricated with a solution-based process using a solvent. The plurality of nanostructures comprises a semiconductor. Each of the plurality of nanostructures has a surface with capping species attached to the surface. The plurality of nanostructures is mixed in the solvent with a dopant compound that includes doping species. During the mixing the capping species on the surfaces of the plurality of nanostructures are replaced by the doping species. Charge carriers are transferred between the doping species and the plurality of nanostructures.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for doping a substrate, comprising disposing a coating of a composition comprising a copolymer, a dopant precursor and a solvent on a substrate; where the copolymer is capable of phase segregating and embedding the dopant precursor while in solution; and annealing the substrate at a temperature of 750 to 1300° C. for 0.1 second to 24 hours to diffuse the dopant into the substrate. Disclosed herein too is a semiconductor substrate comprising embedded dopant domains of diameter 3 to 30 nanometers; where the domains comprise Group 13 or Group 15 atoms, wherein the embedded spherical domains are located within 30 nanometers of the substrate surface.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for doping a substrate, comprising disposing a coating of a composition comprising a copolymer, a dopant precursor and a solvent on a substrate; where the copolymer is capable of phase segregating and embedding the dopant precursor while in solution; and annealing the substrate at a temperature of 750 to 1300° C. for 0.1 second to 24 hours to diffuse the dopant into the substrate. Disclosed herein too is a semiconductor substrate comprising embedded dopant domains of diameter 3 to 30 nanometers; where the domains comprise Group 13 or Group 15 atoms, wherein the embedded spherical domains are located within 30 nanometers of the substrate surface.

Abstract: A an organic material is shown including a conjugated core, one or more electron donating moieties, and a non-conjugated spacer coupled between the conjugated core and the electron donating moiety. Methods of forming the organic material include solution based processing. One example of an organic material includes a self-doping n-type organic material.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for doping a substrate, comprising disposing a coating of a composition comprising a dopant-containing polymer and a non-polar solvent on a substrate; and annealing the substrate at a temperature of 750 to 1300° C. for 1 second to 24 hours to diffuse the dopant into the substrate; wherein the dopant-containing polymer is a polymer having a covalently bound dopant atom; wherein the dopant-containing polymer is free of nitrogen and silicon; and wherein the method is free of a step of forming an oxide capping layer over the coating prior to the annealing step.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for doping a substrate, comprising disposing a coating of a composition comprising a dopant-containing polymer and a non-polar solvent on a substrate; and annealing the substrate at a temperature of 750 to 1300° C. for 1 second to 24 hours to diffuse the dopant into the substrate; wherein the dopant-containing polymer is a polymer having a covalently bound dopant atom; wherein the dopant-containing polymer is free of nitrogen and silicon; and wherein the method is free of a step of forming an oxide capping layer over the coating prior to the annealing step.

Abstract: A system for converting solar energy to chemical energy, and, subsequently, to thermal energy includes a light-harvesting station, a storage station, and a thermal energy release station. The system may include additional stations for converting the released thermal energy to other energy forms, e.g., to electrical energy and mechanical work. At the light-harvesting station, a photochemically active first organometallic compound, e.g., a fulvalenyl diruthenium complex, is exposed to light and is photochemically converted to a second, higher-energy organometallic compound, which is then transported to a storage station. At the storage station, the high-energy organometallic compound is stored for a desired time and/or is transported to a desired location for thermal energy release.