Abstract: An organic PV solar cell that has an anode double interlayer situated between an electrode and an organic photoactive layer displays superior power conversion efficiency over that of equivalent devices with an anode single interlayer. The anode double layer can comprise a hole extraction layer adjacent to the anode and an organic hole accepting electron blocking material layer that comprises an aromatic amine compound with a plurality of N atoms. The hole extraction layer can be a metal oxide or an n-type organic semiconductor.

Abstract: A solar-powered lighting module is provided, including a solar cell for generating electricity when exposed to light, a battery for storing charge from the generated electricity, and a light generating device powered by the stored charge. In an embodiment, the module further includes a controller that regulates the current transmitted between the components of the module. In a further embodiment, the module is incorporated into an interface to an environmentally controlled space and can be positioned to light an interior portion of the space. In another embodiment, the solar cell and light generating device are transparent to allow light to pass through the interface. In a further embodiment, tinted-color conjugated polymers incorporated into the module limit the spectrum of light that can pass through the interface. In yet another embodiment, a method of modifying an existing interface with such a module is provided.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is an air cathode having a porous membrane with at least one hydrophobic surface that contacts a conductive catalytic film that comprises single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) where the nanotubes are in intimate electrical contact. The conductive film can include fullerenes, metals, metal alloys, metal oxides, or electroactive polymers in addition to the SWNTs. In other embodiments of the invention the air cathode is a component of a metal-air battery or a fuel cell.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to yellow-to-transmissive conjugated polymers, a method to prepare the yellow conjugated polymers, the use of the yellow conjugated polymers in an electrochromic and/or electroluminescent device comprising neutral state primary subtractive colored conjugated polymers, and a method to prepare the device comprising the yellow conjugated polymer. The yellow conjugated polymers comprise a sequence of dioxythiophene units alternating with aromatic units, thiophene units, furan units, and/or pyrrole units. The yellow conjugated polymers are prepared by cross-condensation reactions. The yellow conjugated polymers can be soluble and preparation of the device involves deposition of the yellow conjugated polymer from solution onto a surface.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an assembly of photovoltaic cells having at least two different earth-toned colors, where different colors are situated in different cells, the cells color being defined by the donor-acceptor (DA) ?-conjugated polymer and an acceptor moiety combination comprising the photoactive layer of the cell, and where the different colored solar cells are coupled into an assembly. The assembly can be flexible and can have colors specifically arranged in a camouflage or other pattern.

Abstract: A donor-acceptor (DA) ?-conjugated polymer with high charge transfer mobility has a plurality of D1kAD1k portions, where k is 1 or 2, D1 is a donor unit having at least one solubilizing side chain, and A is an acceptor unit, and the donor-acceptor (DA) ?-conjugated polymer has a plurality of D2m spacer sequences situated between the D1xAD1x portions, where m is 1 to 6 and D2 is a second donor unit where all atoms of the unit are coplanar in at least one conformation that the unit can assume. The DA ?-conjugated polymer can reflect a blue tinted green, deep green, or yellow tinted green color. The DA ?-conjugated polymers have space-charge limited (SCL) zero field hole mobilities of at least 1×10?6 cm2V?1s?1.

Abstract: A dual electrochromic/electroluminescent (EC/EL) device of at least one pixel includes an interdigitated electrode where an electroactive layer is dispersed on and between the digits of the two electrodes of the interdigitated electrode. The electroactive layer is in contact with an electrolyte layer that also contacts a third electrode. The device acts as an electroluminescence device when an electrical bias between the two electrodes of the interdigitated electrode is established. The device acts as an electrochromic device when the electrical bias is established between the combined electrodes of the interdigitated electrode and the third electrode.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method of forming a film of an insoluble conjugated polymer (CP) by deposition of an ionic CP from aqueous solution and converting the ionic CP to the insoluble CP. The ionic CP can be the salt of a carboxylic acid, sulfonic acid, phosphonic acid, boronic acid, amine, imine, phosphine, thioether, or complexed bidentate or polydentate ligand. The insoluble CP film can be used with an aqueous electrolyte solution for use as: an electrochromic film; charge injection layer for a solar cell, LED, and FET; conventional paints; supercapacitor; battery; electronic paper; anti-static coating; transparent conductor; sensors; anti-microbial coating; adhesive; RFID; or memory system.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to random conjugated copolymers comprising a plurality of one or more different donor (D) repeating units and a plurality of at least one acceptor (A) repeating unit. At least one of the D units has a solubilizing substituent, statistically a portion of the A repeating units are separated from each other by only one D units and a plurality of the A unit are adjacent to one the D units having the solubilizing substituents. The random conjugated copolymers are black or colored in the neutral state and highly transmissive in the oxidized state. The random conjugated copolymers have the structure -[(D)xA]n-, where x>1 and n(x+1)?10 or the structure -[(DA))x-(D?Ay]n-, where D represents one substituted D unit and D? represents another D units and where x?1, y?1 and 2n(x+y)?10.

Abstract: A soluble fused donor-acceptor conjugated polymer (fDA-CP) is prepared that absorbs light throughout nearly all the visible spectrum and is essentially black to the human eye when in the neutral state. The conjugated polymer has acceptor units that are isolated by a plurality of fused donor units. The fDA-CP assumes a conformation that results in a close ?-stacking between adjacent lamella with a separation of less than 4.5 ? in the solid state and extended conjugation to promote high charge carrier mobilities. The fDA-CP is prepared by the polycondensation of a plurality of at least one fused donor-acceptor oligomer (fDA-oligomer) that has a flat internal acceptor unit and at least one fused donor unit incorporated in the oligomers, and optionally, an additional conjugated aromatic monomer or oligomer copolymerized with the fDA-oligomers.

Abstract: The subject invention pertains to a method, apparatus, and composition of matter for producing near-infrared (near-IR) radiation. The subject invention can incorporate a polymer and a metal-containing compound, wherein the metal-containing compound can incorporate a metal-ligand complex, wherein when the metal-ligand complex becomes excited, energy is transferred from the ligand to the metal, wherein, the energy transferred to the metal by sensitization is emitted as near-infrared radiation. In a specific embodiment, the subject invention relates to a composition of matter having a luminescent polymer and a metal containing compound where the metal containing compound incorporates a metal-ligand complex such that the absorption spectrum of the metal-ligand complex at least partially overlaps with the emission spectrum of the luminescent polymer.

Abstract: A dual electrochromic/electroluminescent (EC/EL) device of at least one pixel includes an interdigitated electrode where an electroactive layer is dispersed on and between the digits of the two electrodes of the interdigitated electrode. The electroactive layer is in contact with an electrolyte layer that also contacts a third electrode. The device acts as an electroluminescence device when an electrical bias between the two electrodes of the interdigitated electrode is established. The device acts as an electrochromic device when the electrical bias is established between the combined electrodes of the interdigitated electrode and the third electrode.

Abstract: A soluble donor-acceptor electrochromic polymer (DA-ECP) is prepared that absorbs light throughout at least the majority of the visible range and is essentially black to the human eye when in the neutral state, but is highly transmissive when electrochemically doped. The conjugated polymer has acceptor units separated by sequences of a plurality of donor units. The sequences can be monodispersed or polydispersed. The DA-ECP is prepared by the polycondensation of a plurality of at least one donor-acceptor oligomer (DA-oligomer) that has at least one internal acceptor repeating unit and at least one donor repeating unit on all termini of the oligomer, and optionally, a plurality of at least one donor monomer and/or donor oligomer.

Abstract: A SolarTurf unit has a plurality of solar blades, each blade comprising a donor-acceptor conjugated polymer (DA-CP) disposed between and electrically contacting a working electrode and a counter electrode where at least one of electrodes is transparent and where the plurality of solar blades have like or different DA-CPs having like color or different colors, for example, green. The SolarTurf unit includes an interconnect strip having a first electrically conductive surface and a second electrically conductive surface separated by an insulator. The working electrodes are electrically connected to the first electrically conductive surface and the counter electrodes are electrically connected to the second electrically conductive surface. The SolarTurf units can be combined into a device for harvesting light energy to provide an electric output. The SolarTurf device can have the appearance of a lawn or other plant, fungi, rock, sand or animal.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to alternating donor-acceptor (DA) polymers that are soluble and display a blue or green neutral state that oxidizes to a transmissive state for use as an electrochromic polymer. The D units have 3,4-dioxythiophene, 3,6-dialkoxythieno[3,2-b]thiophene or 3,5-dialkoxy-dithieno[3,2-b:2?,3?-d]thiophene groups. Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method for preparation of the alternating DA polymeric sequences of the DA polymers by a cross-condensation of a nucleophilic acceptor monomer and an electrophilic donor monomer.

Abstract: Green to transmissive soluble electrochromic polymers are conjugated polymers having a plurality of repeating units where repeating units are a plurality of substituted dioxyheterocycle based donor groups coupled to an acceptor group. The conjugated polymer absorbs radiation within a first band of the visible spectrum and a second band of the visible spectrum when in a neutral state resulting in a green color and is transmissive when in an oxidized state. The polymers are soluble allowing processing of films and coatings from solution.

Abstract: A dual active electrochromic device is a combination of at least two working electrodes that contain electrochromic materials and at least one counter electrode where the potentials between each working electrode and a counter electrode are independently supplied. No more than one electrode is reflective. The color of the device results from the additive color of the electrochromic materials and varies according to the potentials applied independently. The electrochromic materials can be electrochromic polymers that are deposited as film on substrates to form the working electrodes. The electrochromic device can be used for display or window applications.

Abstract: A method for preparing a defunctionalized alkylenedioxyheterocycle polymer or copolymer involves providing a polycarboxylic acid derivative functionalized alkylenedioxyheterocycle polymer or copolymer and transforming the polymer or copolymer into a defunctionalized alkylenedioxyheterocycle polymer or copolymer which is polyhydroxy, polythiol, polyamino, or polycarboxylic acid functionalized alkylenedioxyheterocycle polymer or copolymer. The monomers, homopolymers and copolymers for use in the method are new compositions of matter. The polymers containing polycarboxylic acid derivative functionalized alkylenedioxyheterocycle units are soluble polymers which are defunctionalized to yield insoluble polyhydroxy, polythiol, polyamino, or polycarboxylic acid functionalized alkylenedioxyheterocycle polymers.

Abstract: A family of N-substituted 3,4-alkylenedioxypyrrole includes monomers for of formula (I) electropolymerization to conjugated polymers and key intermediates for the preparation of the monomers. The preparation of the //-substituted 3,4-alkylenedioxypyrroles is carried out via a synthetic intermediate, an ester substituted dihydroxypyrrole. The synthetic method to prepare the //-substituted 3,4-alkylenedioxypyrrole intermediates and ultimately the N-substituted 3,4-alkylenedioxypyrrole monomers begins with a reaction to form the ester substituted dihydroxypyrrole.

Abstract: An highly porous electrically conducting film that includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes, nanowires or a combination of both. The highly porous electrically conducting film exhibits an electrical resistivity of less than 0.1 ?·cm at 25 C and a density of between 0.05 and 0.70 g/cm3. The film can exhibit a density between 0.50 and 0.85 g/cm3 and an electrical resistivity of less than 6×10?3 ?·cm at 25 C. Also included is a method of forming these highly porous electrically conducting films by forming a composite film using carbon nanotubes or nanowires and sacrificial nanoparticles or microparticles. At least a portion of the nanoparticles or microparticles are then removed from the composite film to form the highly porous electrically conducting film.