Synthesis and Crystal Structure of (Benzotrithiophene)2(TCNQ) a Possible One-Dimensional Thermoelectric Material (Briefing Charts)

摘要

Quasi-one-dimensional (Q1D) organic crystals may offer good thermoelectric properties. Thermoelectric efficiencies twenty times greater than current thermoelectric materials have been predicted for Q1D materials. This theoretical prediction shows the potential that this new class of materials has to revolutionize electrical generation as well as cooling since thermoelectric devices operate with no moving parts and have a very long service life. Q1D materials are formed from parallel stacks of molecules. One Q1D material is benzo (1,2-c:3,4-c':5,6-c')trithiophene (BTT) which has been previously synthesized and characterized. BTT was doped with 7,7,8,8-tertacyano- p-quinodimethane (TCNQ) in order to improve the material's semiconductive properties, to hopefully retain the material's Q1D behavior, and yield improved thermoelectric parameters. TCNQ is an electron acceptor well known to form charge transfer compounds which also exhibits a Q1D molecular structure. A single crystal structure analysis was performed to determine the molecular packing of the new BTT/TCNQ complex.