Tout au long du siècle dernier, l'électronique s'est révélé être un progrès technologique majeur, et ses applications sont tellement nombreuses qu'elles ont envahi notre vie de tous les jours. De par leurs propriétés bien spécifiques, les semi-conducteurs organiques représentent une remarquable alternative aux matériaux inorganiques utilisés actuellement. Cependant, leurs propriétés électriques peuvent être limitées, et l'efficacité des dispositifs composés de tels matériaux ne permet pas encore de rivaliser avec ceux basés sur des matériaux inorganiques. Dans ce contexte, ce travail de thèse a pour objectif de synthétiser et caractériser de nouveaux polymères conjugués et d'étudier leurs propriétés, dans le but d'ajouter de nouveaux matériaux au déjà riche catalogue de polymères semi-conducteurs disponibles, ainsi que de permettre une meilleure compréhension de la relation structure-propriétés dans les systèmes conjugués. Des copolymères alternés composés de motifs carbazole, benzothiadiazole ou encore squaraine ont été synthétisés et caractérisés. De plus, des polymérisations originales et sans catalyseurs métalliques ont été développées.

Waxflower (Chamelaucium spp. and hybrids) is the singlemost important Australian export cut-flower. The major problem in waxflower trading is flower abscission after harvest. While several factors are involved, ethylene production resulting from preharvest infection with the fungus Botrytis cinerea is the most important cause. The general objectives of this study were to investigate the biology of Botrytis infecting waxflower flowers and potential elicitation of host defence against this pathogen. Effects of anti-ethylene and S-carvone treatments on Botrytis-induced flower abscission were also evaluated. Infection of flowers by Botrytis was studied on two waxflower cvs. Mullering Brook and My Sweet Sixteen using light and electron microscopy. Conidial germination and protoappressorial formation occurred within 8 h post-inoculation (hpi). Infection of most floral organs, including petals, anthers and filaments, stigma, and hypanthium, was within 24 hpi. Infection cushions on stamen bases were formed at 36 hpi by saprophytic hyphae that originated from anthers. This infection route probably gives rise to the typical tan-coloured Botrytis symptoms that appear to radiate from this part of the flower. Subcuticular hyphae were present at very high density near stamen bases. They evidently resulted at multiple penetrations from single infection cushions. Flower abscission occurred at 72 hpi. At this time, floral tube tissues remained uninfected. This temporal pattern infers the possible transmission of a signal (e.g. ethylene) upon Botrytis infection (6–36 hpi) that intiates a defence response of shedding infected flowers (72 hpi). Susceptibility of waxflower before and after harvest to B. cinerea under various environmental conditions (laboratory, greenhouse, and field) was investigated. Flowers, either on plants or on cut stems showed similar susceptibility to B. cinerea and abscised under cool temperatures (~20 ºC) and high humidity (>95% RH) conditions following infection. Compared to cv. Mullering Brook, cv. My Sweet Sixteen was somewhat more resistant to B. cinerea infection under field conditions. Constitutive and inducible antifungal compounds in waxflower flower tissues were screened in cvs. CWA Pink, Stephan’s Delight, Mullering Brook and My Sweet Sixteen using thin layer chromatography bioassays with isolates of B. cinerea and Alternaria alternata (pathogenic) and Cladosporium cladosporioides (non-pathogenic). Common inhibition zone observed at Rf 0.28–0.38, 0.46–0.56 and 0.67–0.76 contained phenolic compounds. There were at least five (cv. Mullering Brook) and one (cv. My Sweet Sixteen) inducible antifungal phenolic compounds as judged by increases in inhibition area as a result of B. cinerea infection and methyl jasmonate treatment. The total areas of B. cinerea- and MeJA-induced inhibition zones were approximately 2.0- and 2.5-folds greater, respectively, than zones from control flowers. Preharvest sprays of three different known host plant defence elicitors, methyl jasmonate (MeJA), benzothiadiazole (BTH), and silicon (Si), were applied to waxflower cvs. Mullering Brook and My Sweet Sixteen plants. BTH or Si sprays generally had no significant effect on postharvest Botrytis severity on either cultivar. MeJA sprays did not reduce B. cinerea on cv. Mullering Brook. MeJA slightly suppressed B. cinerea on cv. My Sweet Sixteen at 500 and 750 µM. Overall, field applications of these host plant defence elicitor chemicals as spray treatments had little effect on vase life, water uptake and relative fresh weight of the cut sprigs. Moreover, they did not appreciably suppress B. cinerea or associated postharvest floral abscission. The efficacy of combined elicitor treatments and combined pre- and postharvest MeJA treatments were assessed. Preharvest foliar applications of MeJA (1000 µM; 2 or 4 times), MeJA (1000 µM) combined with BTH (150 mg/L), and MeJA combined with Si (1500 mg SiO2/L) generally did not suppress postharvest B. cinerea development and flower abscission from harvested sprigs. A pre- plus post-harvest 1000 µM MeJA spray treatment consistently but only slightly suppressed B. cinerea infection on flowers from both pot- and field-grown plants. Pre- and post-harvest MeJA treatments reduced B. cinerea development, but increased flower abscission. Combined MeJA and anti-ethylene treatments were then screened for potential to suppress B. cinerea while preventing flower abscission. However, the combined MeJA and 1-MCP treatment reduced neither Botrytis disease nor flower abscission on sprigs from pot- and field-grown plants. The combined MeJA and STS treatment reduced disease severity for up to 6 days on sprigs harvested from pot-grown plants but tended to increase Botrytis severity on sprigs from field-grown plants 6 days after inoculation. Antifungal effects of the essential oil S-carvone against B. cinerea germination and mycelial growth were demonstrated in vitro. Inhibition increased with increasing S-carvone concentrations from 0.64 mM to 5.08 mM. However, in planta, S-carvone concentrations in this range did not affect either Botrytis disease levels or flower abscission on cut waxflower flowers.

Waxflower (Chamelaucium spp. and hybrids) is the singlemost important Australian export cut-flower. The major problem in waxflower trading is flower abscission after harvest. While several factors are involved, ethylene production resulting from preharvest infection with the fungus Botrytis cinerea is the most important cause. The general objectives of this study were to investigate the biology of Botrytis infecting waxflower flowers and potential elicitation of host defence against this pathogen. Effects of anti-ethylene and S-carvone treatments on Botrytis-induced flower abscission were also evaluated. Infection of flowers by Botrytis was studied on two waxflower cvs. Mullering Brook and My Sweet Sixteen using light and electron microscopy. Conidial germination and protoappressorial formation occurred within 8 h post-inoculation (hpi). Infection of most floral organs, including petals, anthers and filaments, stigma, and hypanthium, was within 24 hpi. Infection cushions on stamen bases were formed at 36 hpi by saprophytic hyphae that originated from anthers. This infection route probably gives rise to the typical tan-coloured Botrytis symptoms that appear to radiate from this part of the flower. Subcuticular hyphae were present at very high density near stamen bases. They evidently resulted at multiple penetrations from single infection cushions. Flower abscission occurred at 72 hpi. At this time, floral tube tissues remained uninfected. This temporal pattern infers the possible transmission of a signal (e.g. ethylene) upon Botrytis infection (6–36 hpi) that intiates a defence response of shedding infected flowers (72 hpi). Susceptibility of waxflower before and after harvest to B. cinerea under various environmental conditions (laboratory, greenhouse, and field) was investigated. Flowers, either on plants or on cut stems showed similar susceptibility to B. cinerea and abscised under cool temperatures (~20 ºC) and high humidity (>95% RH) conditions following infection. Compared to cv. Mullering Brook, cv. My Sweet Sixteen was somewhat more resistant to B. cinerea infection under field conditions. Constitutive and inducible antifungal compounds in waxflower flower tissues were screened in cvs. CWA Pink, Stephan’s Delight, Mullering Brook and My Sweet Sixteen using thin layer chromatography bioassays with isolates of B. cinerea and Alternaria alternata (pathogenic) and Cladosporium cladosporioides (non-pathogenic). Common inhibition zone observed at Rf 0.28–0.38, 0.46–0.56 and 0.67–0.76 contained phenolic compounds. There were at least five (cv. Mullering Brook) and one (cv. My Sweet Sixteen) inducible antifungal phenolic compounds as judged by increases in inhibition area as a result of B. cinerea infection and methyl jasmonate treatment. The total areas of B. cinerea- and MeJA-induced inhibition zones were approximately 2.0- and 2.5-folds greater, respectively, than zones from control flowers. Preharvest sprays of three different known host plant defence elicitors, methyl jasmonate (MeJA), benzothiadiazole (BTH), and silicon (Si), were applied to waxflower cvs. Mullering Brook and My Sweet Sixteen plants. BTH or Si sprays generally had no significant effect on postharvest Botrytis severity on either cultivar. MeJA sprays did not reduce B. cinerea on cv. Mullering Brook. MeJA slightly suppressed B. cinerea on cv. My Sweet Sixteen at 500 and 750 µM. Overall, field applications of these host plant defence elicitor chemicals as spray treatments had little effect on vase life, water uptake and relative fresh weight of the cut sprigs. Moreover, they did not appreciably suppress B. cinerea or associated postharvest floral abscission. The efficacy of combined elicitor treatments and combined pre- and postharvest MeJA treatments were assessed. Preharvest foliar applications of MeJA (1000 µM; 2 or 4 times), MeJA (1000 µM) combined with BTH (150 mg/L), and MeJA combined with Si (1500 mg SiO2/L) generally did not suppress postharvest B. cinerea development and flower abscission from harvested sprigs. A pre- plus post-harvest 1000 µM MeJA spray treatment consistently but only slightly suppressed B. cinerea infection on flowers from both pot- and field-grown plants. Pre- and post-harvest MeJA treatments reduced B. cinerea development, but increased flower abscission. Combined MeJA and anti-ethylene treatments were then screened for potential to suppress B. cinerea while preventing flower abscission. However, the combined MeJA and 1-MCP treatment reduced neither Botrytis disease nor flower abscission on sprigs from pot- and field-grown plants. The combined MeJA and STS treatment reduced disease severity for up to 6 days on sprigs harvested from pot-grown plants but tended to increase Botrytis severity on sprigs from field-grown plants 6 days after inoculation. Antifungal effects of the essential oil S-carvone against B. cinerea germination and mycelial growth were demonstrated in vitro. Inhibition increased with increasing S-carvone concentrations from 0.64 mM to 5.08 mM. However, in planta, S-carvone concentrations in this range did not affect either Botrytis disease levels or flower abscission on cut waxflower flowers.

Waxflower (Chamelaucium spp. and hybrids) is the singlemost important Australian export cut-flower. The major problem in waxflower trading is flower abscission after harvest. While several factors are involved, ethylene production resulting from preharvest infection with the fungus Botrytis cinerea is the most important cause. The general objectives of this study were to investigate the biology of Botrytis infecting waxflower flowers and potential elicitation of host defence against this pathogen. Effects of anti-ethylene and S-carvone treatments on Botrytis-induced flower abscission were also evaluated. Infection of flowers by Botrytis was studied on two waxflower cvs. Mullering Brook and My Sweet Sixteen using light and electron microscopy. Conidial germination and protoappressorial formation occurred within 8 h post-inoculation (hpi). Infection of most floral organs, including petals, anthers and filaments, stigma, and hypanthium, was within 24 hpi. Infection cushions on stamen bases were formed at 36 hpi by saprophytic hyphae that originated from anthers. This infection route probably gives rise to the typical tan-coloured Botrytis symptoms that appear to radiate from this part of the flower. Subcuticular hyphae were present at very high density near stamen bases. They evidently resulted at multiple penetrations from single infection cushions. Flower abscission occurred at 72 hpi. At this time, floral tube tissues remained uninfected. This temporal pattern infers the possible transmission of a signal (e.g. ethylene) upon Botrytis infection (6–36 hpi) that intiates a defence response of shedding infected flowers (72 hpi). Susceptibility of waxflower before and after harvest to B. cinerea under various environmental conditions (laboratory, greenhouse, and field) was investigated. Flowers, either on plants or on cut stems showed similar susceptibility to B. cinerea and abscised under cool temperatures (~20 ºC) and high humidity (>95% RH) conditions following infection. Compared to cv. Mullering Brook, cv. My Sweet Sixteen was somewhat more resistant to B. cinerea infection under field conditions. Constitutive and inducible antifungal compounds in waxflower flower tissues were screened in cvs. CWA Pink, Stephan’s Delight, Mullering Brook and My Sweet Sixteen using thin layer chromatography bioassays with isolates of B. cinerea and Alternaria alternata (pathogenic) and Cladosporium cladosporioides (non-pathogenic). Common inhibition zone observed at Rf 0.28–0.38, 0.46–0.56 and 0.67–0.76 contained phenolic compounds. There were at least five (cv. Mullering Brook) and one (cv. My Sweet Sixteen) inducible antifungal phenolic compounds as judged by increases in inhibition area as a result of B. cinerea infection and methyl jasmonate treatment. The total areas of B. cinerea- and MeJA-induced inhibition zones were approximately 2.0- and 2.5-folds greater, respectively, than zones from control flowers. Preharvest sprays of three different known host plant defence elicitors, methyl jasmonate (MeJA), benzothiadiazole (BTH), and silicon (Si), were applied to waxflower cvs. Mullering Brook and My Sweet Sixteen plants. BTH or Si sprays generally had no significant effect on postharvest Botrytis severity on either cultivar. MeJA sprays did not reduce B. cinerea on cv. Mullering Brook. MeJA slightly suppressed B. cinerea on cv. My Sweet Sixteen at 500 and 750 µM. Overall, field applications of these host plant defence elicitor chemicals as spray treatments had little effect on vase life, water uptake and relative fresh weight of the cut sprigs. Moreover, they did not appreciably suppress B. cinerea or associated postharvest floral abscission. The efficacy of combined elicitor treatments and combined pre- and postharvest MeJA treatments were assessed. Preharvest foliar applications of MeJA (1000 µM; 2 or 4 times), MeJA (1000 µM) combined with BTH (150 mg/L), and MeJA combined with Si (1500 mg SiO2/L) generally did not suppress postharvest B. cinerea development and flower abscission from harvested sprigs. A pre- plus post-harvest 1000 µM MeJA spray treatment consistently but only slightly suppressed B. cinerea infection on flowers from both pot- and field-grown plants. Pre- and post-harvest MeJA treatments reduced B. cinerea development, but increased flower abscission. Combined MeJA and anti-ethylene treatments were then screened for potential to suppress B. cinerea while preventing flower abscission. However, the combined MeJA and 1-MCP treatment reduced neither Botrytis disease nor flower abscission on sprigs from pot- and field-grown plants. The combined MeJA and STS treatment reduced disease severity for up to 6 days on sprigs harvested from pot-grown plants but tended to increase Botrytis severity on sprigs from field-grown plants 6 days after inoculation. Antifungal effects of the essential oil S-carvone against B. cinerea germination and mycelial growth were demonstrated in vitro. Inhibition increased with increasing S-carvone concentrations from 0.64 mM to 5.08 mM. However, in planta, S-carvone concentrations in this range did not affect either Botrytis disease levels or flower abscission on cut waxflower flowers.

Cultivars of Agrostis stolonifera showed weak and strong responsiveness to the systemic acquired resistance (SAR) activator, benzothiadiazole (BTH), or the induced systemic resistance (ISR) activator, 2R, 3R-butanediol (BD). Next Generation RNA sequencing was used to identify 2163 putative transcripts with increased expression in BTH versus water-treated A. stolonifera. Among three BTH-induced genes, AsASP-2 and AsHIR-1 were induced faster, while AsLOX-1 had stronger transient induction, in one out of two strongly BTH-responsive cultivars. Three ISR-responsive genes, AsGNS-5, AsOPR-4 and AsAOS-1, showed no greater induction or priming in the strongly versus weakly BD-responsive cultivars. Cultivars of A. stolonifera vary significantly in their response to defense activators, however this is not consistently related to defense gene expression. To quantify disease severity, chlorophyll fluorescence imaging of the maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) was tested on Nicotiana benthamiana infected with Colletotrichum orbiculare. Leaf areas of healthy, non-necrotic affected and necrotic tissue could be individually quantified, which demonstrated that BD delayed symptom development by approx. 24-hour and reduced non-necrotic affected tissue compared to controls. Chlorophyll fluorescence imaging can quantify and reveal novel features about induced disease resistance.

[pt] Derivados do núcleo 2,1,3-benzotiadiazola (BTD) são altamente emissivos e têm reconhecida aplicação em diversas áreas da tecnologia da luz (células solares sensibilizadas por corantes, sondas fluorescentes, dispositivos emissores tipo OLEDs, etc). Derivados de BTD substituídos com grupos estireno têm sido descritos como ótimas sondas fluorescentes para estudo de conformações de proteínas. Além disso, o grupo de pesquisa do LaSOQF tem produzido novos derivados de BTD luminescentes e buscado diferentes aplicações para os mesmos. Assim sendo, o objetivo desse trabalho foi desenvolver/otimizar a síntese de novos derivados de BTD estiril-substituídos. Nesse planejamento almejou a obtenção de compostos com intensa luminescência a partir da substituição de um grupo estiril por grupos 4-metóxifenil, 4-metoxifenóxi ou 2-bifenil, buscando acentuar o caráter de transferência de carga intramolecular (ICT) e, também, características de emissão aumentada induzida por agregação (AIEE). Para a obtenção dos compostos desejados, os derivados bromados de BTD foram submetidos a reações de Heck com o estireno. Dessa forma, as moléculas alvo foram obtidas com rendimentos entre 36 por cento e 87 por certo. Em seguida, a caracterização fotofísica dos fluoróforos foi realizada e foram obtidos máximos de absorção entre 404 e 450 nm e máximos de emissão entre 503 e 578 nm, indicando a alta estabilidade do estado excitado (delta lambda igual 90-121 nm). Os valores determinados de [fi]FL (0,31-0,69) confirmaram a alta emissividade dos compostos. Ademais, o composto 4-(4-metoxifenóxi)-7-estirilbenzo[c][1,2,5]tiadiazola apresentou características de AIEE. As novas moléculas desenvolvidas estão sendo aplicadas como sondas fluorescentes para a determinação de água em soluções etanólicas comerciais. / [en] The 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (BTD) core derivatives are highly emissive and with recognized application in several areas of light technology (dye-sensitized solar cells, fluorescent probes, emitters devices such as OLEDs, etc.). BTD derivatives substituted with styrene group have been described as excellent fluorescent probes for protein conformations study. In addition, the LaSOQF research group has been producing new luminescent BTD derivatives and proposed different applications for them. Therefore, the objective of this work was to develop/optimize the synthesis of novel styryl-BTD derivatives. This design aimed at obtaining more luminescent compounds from the replacement of one of the styryl groups by 4-methoxyphenyl, 4-methoxyphenoxy or 2-biphenyl, seeking for intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) and also aggregated-induced enhanced emission (AIEE) characteristics. To obtain the desired compounds, brominated BTD derivatives were submitted to Heck reactions with styrene. Thus, the target fluorophores were obtained with yields ranging between 36 per cent and 87 per cent. Then, photophysical characterization of the fluorophores was carried out and absorption maxima between 404 and 450 nm and emission maxima between 503 and 578 nm were obtained, indicating the high stability of the excited state (delta lambda equal 90-121 nm). The determined values of [fi]FL (0.31-0.69) confirmed the high emissivity of the compounds. In addition, the compound 4-(4-methoxyphenoxy)-7-styrylbenzo[c] [1,2,5]thiadiazole showed of AIEE properties. The novel molecules developed are being applied as fluorescent probes for determination of water in commercial ethanolic solutions.

[pt] O planejamento de estruturas push-pull tem levado a compostos com propriedades fotofísicas interessantes. Isto inclui a Emissão Induzida por Agregação (AIE) e a Emissão Melhorada Induzida por Agregação (AIEE), que são importantes para emissão em estado sólido e, portanto, para aplicações em dispositivos optoeletrônicos. Visando AIEE, novos compostos fluorescentes com características D-Pi-A e D-A-D foram planejados. Usando ferramentas computacionais, foram feitas simulações para calcular as propriedades teóricas dos compostos desenhados e validar se eram apropriadas para o desenvolvimento sucessivo das rotas sintéticas. No presente trabalho, duas novas séries de derivados de piridina3,5-dicarbonitrilo difenil-substituído (PPC) e derivados de 2,1,3- benzothiadiazol fluorenil-substituído (FL-BTD) foram sintetizados usando estruturas D-Pi-A e D-A-D, respectivamente. As estratégias sintéticas usadas para a sínteses dos novos compostos incluem reações multicomponente de Hantzsch (na produção do principal intermediário na série PPC), assim como reações de acoplamento cruzado C-C catalisadas por paládio, incluindo Heck, Sonogashira e Suzuki e acoplamentos N-C via reação Buchwald-Hartwig para a obtenção dos produtos. Um total de seis novos derivados de PPC, foram obtidos e caracterizados, com rendimentos de 35 a 73 por cento, e quatro novos derivados de BTD com rendimentos de reação de 39 a 95 por cento são reportados. Experimentos de espectroscopia foram realizados para a avaliação das propriedades fotofísicas dos novos derivados de PPC e BTD, abrangendo medidas de absorção, emissão, e de rendimento quântico fluorescente (Rendimento quântico de fluorescência). Os compostos apresentaram altos Rendimentos quânticos de fluorescência em solução, até 0,71 na série PPC e até 0,67 na série FL-BTD, exibindo band gaps adequados para sua aplicação como camadas emissoras em OLEDs. O comportamento no estado agregado dos derivados de PPC e BTD foi avaliado, quatro compostos exibiram aumento de luminescência em soluções THF contendo fração de água (fw) de 70 por cento até maior que 90 por cento, indicando as propriedades AIEE. Um dos compostos da série PPC, MT-PPC, apresentou AIE com indução da florescência na mistura com fw 80 por cento. Na série BTD, destacou-se o derivado FL-BTD-OAM com AIEE e Rendimento quântico de fluorescência significativo, assim, um OLED foi construído utilizando-o como camada emissora, obtendo resultados promissores com um dispositivo operando com alto brilho (luminância de 6450 cd m-2), boa irradiação (503 mW cm-2) e eficiência de corrente razoável (0,84 cd/A). / [en] The design of push-pull structures has led to compounds with interesting photophysical properties. This includes Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE) and Aggregation-induced Enhanced Emission (AIEE), which are important for emission in solid state and therefore for applications in optoelectronic devices. Aiming AIEE, new fluorescent compounds with D-Pi-A and D-A-D characteristics were designed. Using computational tools, simulations were made to calculate their theoretical properties and validate if were appropriate for the successive development of the synthetic routes. The present work reports two new series of diphenyl-substituted pyridine3,5-dicarbonitrile (PPC) derivatives and fluorenyl-substituted 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (FL-BTD) derivatives, synthetized using D-Pi-A and D-AD structures, respectively. The compounds presented high fluorescence quantum yields in solution, up to 0.71 in the PPC series and up to 0.67 in the FL-BTD series, displaying suitable band gaps for application as emitting layers in OLEDs. Five compounds displayed enhancement of luminescence in THF solutions containing water fraction (fw) from 70 percent up to bigger than 90 percent, indicating AIEE properties. Among these, the derivative FL-BTD-OAM stood out, and an OLED device was built using it as an emitting layer, obtaining promising results with a device operating with high bright (luminance of 6450 cd m-2), good irradiance (503 mW cm-2) and reasonable current efficiency (0.84 cd/A).

[pt] No presente trabalho realizou-se um estudo preliminar do desempenho de três luminóforos, sendo eles um composto a base de pontos quânticos de grafeno (GQDs) e dois compostos do tipo benzotiadiazola (BTDs), na formulação de tintas de segurança, com a intenção de avaliar a capacidade dessas substâncias de conferirem a um determinado produto características de autenticidade, durabilidade e confiabilidade metrológica. Para tal, foi desenvolvida uma sequência de ensaios a serem aplicados em formulações de tintas líquidas contendo o pigmento. As tintas formuladas foram submetidas a testes de durabilidade, incluindo resistências químicas, físicas e mecânicas. A exposição contínua a luminosidade promoveu degradação precoce das amostras contendo GQDs (nível 1 escala de lã azul), que foi então descartada com opção viável. Os testes prosseguiram para as tintas contendo BTDs, onde apenas uma das formulações foi aprovada quanto ao teste de abrasão contra papel. No tocante às resistências químicas e ao calor, as BTDs apresentaram desempenho aceitável, atendendo aos requisitos da norma técnica ISO 10373-1 e do documento orientativo publicado pela Organização da Aviação Civil Internacional – OACI (em inglês, ICAO), para qualidade de cartões inteligentes e passaportes. Após tratamento estatístico dos dados, considerando o teste de Mann-Whitney como ferramenta de avaliação, foi possível concluir que a amostras a base de BTDs, ora denominada BTD-01, apresentou desempenho satisfatório para aplicação como marcador de segurança. / [en] In the present work a preliminary study regarding the evaluation of two BTD-based compounds and graphene quantum dots (GQDs) as luminophores in the formulation of security inks was achieved. The intention was to determine the ability of these substances to promote to a given product characteristics of authenticity, durability and, metrological reliability. For this purpose, a sequence of tests was developed using liquid inks containing the pigments on its formulations. The formulated inks were subjected to durability tests, including chemical, physical and mechanical resistances. Continuous exposure to light led to early degradation of samples containing GQDs (level 1 blue wool scale), which was then discarded as a viable option. The inks containing BTDs where further explored, where only one of the formulations was approved at the quartant abrasion test against paper. Regarding the chemical and heat resistance, the BTDs presented acceptable performance, meeting the requirements of the ISO 10373-1 technical standard and the guidance document published by the International Civil Aviation Organization - ICAO, for the quality of smart cards and passports. After statistical treatment of the data, considering the Mann-Whitney test as an evaluation tool, it was possible to conclude that the samples based on BTDs, here called BTD-01, presented satisfactory performance for application as a security taggant.

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden Thiophenoligomere nach dem Konzept Akzeptor – Donator – Akzeptor (A-D-A) und Donator – Akzeptor – Donator (D-A-D) synthetisiert und umfassend charakterisiert. Oligothiophene unterschiedlicher Kettenlänge stellen dabei den Donatoranteil des Moleküls dar, während 2,2-Dicyanovinyle (DCV), 1,3,2-2H-Dioxaborine (DOB), 2,1,3-Benzothiadiazole (BTDA) die Akzeptorstruktur im Molekül repräsentieren. Diese Materialien sollen als Absorber in der intrinsischen Schicht von organischen Solarzellen (OSC) eingesetzt werden. Zusätzliche Untersuchungen an DOB-substituierten Fluorenen, die als Elektronentransportmaterialien in der n-Schicht von OSC Anwendung finden sollten, erwiesen sich in diesem Fall nicht als vielversprechend. Alle untersuchten Verbindungen wurden, abhängig von ihrer Löslichkeit bzw. Verdampfbarkeit im Vakuum, durch Absorption in Lösung und im dünnen Film, durch Cyclovoltammetrie (CV) und durch DFT-Rechnung charakterisiert. Die thermische Stabilität wurde durch TG/DTA-Messungen untersucht. Die Ladungsträgerbeweglichkeit der DCV-Verbindungen wurde in organischen Feldeffekttransistoren untersucht, sowie Solarzellen mit verschiedenen Schichtdicken der Quinquethiophenverbindung DCV2-5T als Donatormaterial der intrinsischen Schicht angefertigt. Eine gezielte Modifikation der Verbindungen durch Wahl des Akzeptors und die Länge des aromatischen Systems ermöglichte die Synthese von Molekülen mit abstimmbaren Eigenschaften. Eine bathochrome Verschiebung des Absorptionsmaximums kann durch eine Vergrößerung des π-Systems erreicht werden. CV-Messungen und DFT-Rechnungen zeigen, dass E(LUMO) maßgeblich vom Akzeptor bestimmt wird, während E(HOMO) mehr durch den Donatorteil des Moleküls beeinflusst wird. Diese Eigenschaften sind unabhängig vom Aufbau (A-D-A oder D-A-D) der Verbindungen. Bezüglich der thermischen Stabilität sind die D-A-D – Verbindungen gegenüber den A-D-A – Verbindungen zu favorisieren. Ein weiterer wichtiger Schlüsselpunkt der Arbeit ist die Erkenntnis, dass die bisher verwendeten Alkylketten am Rückgrat des Oligothiophens die Löcherbeweglichkeit der Verbindungen stark herabsetzen. Zwei Solarzellen in einer m-i-p– Anordnung (Metall – intrinsisch – p-dotiert) erreichen mit dem DCV2-5T (Schichtdicke 6 bzw. 10 nm) als Donatormaterial eine Effizienz von 2.8 %. Die Zellen zeichnen sich durch einen hohen Füllfaktor (bis zu 58 %) aus und erreichen eine Leerlaufspannung von bis zu 1.03 V. Die Interpretation der J-V-Kennlinien führt zu der Annahme, dass die Exzitonendiffusionslänge kürzer als 10 nm ist, weswegen es bei einer höheren Schichtdicke des Thiophens zu einer Rekombination der erzeugten Exzitonen kommt. / The present thesis deals with thiophene oligomers according to the concept acceptor-donor-acceptor (A-D-A) or donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D). Thiophenes represent the donor-part of the molecule whereas the acceptor-part can either be 2,2-dicyanovinyle (DCV), 1,3,2-2H-dioxaborine (DOB) or 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (BTDA). These materials are supposed to work as absorbers in the intrinsic layer of an organic small molecular solar cell (OSC). Additional studies on substituted fluorenes, however, known to work as electron transport material in the n-layer of OSC, have not proved promising in this case. Depending on their solubility in organic solvents or their suitability for vacuum sublimation, all compounds were characterised by absorption measurements in solution and thin film, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and DFT-calculations. The thermal stability was determined by thermal analysis. Charge carrier mobility measurements using organic field effect transistors were applied to investigate the DCV-compounds. The quinquethiophene DCV2-5T was used in varying thicknesses as a donor material in the intrinsic absorbing layer of an OSC. Systematic variation of the compounds by applying different accepting groups and/or modifying the lengths of the aromatic systems permitted the synthesis of molecules with tunable properties. A bathochromic shift of the absorption maximum can be achieved by increasing the number of thiophene units. CV measurements and DFT calculations reveal a dependency of E(LUMO) on the accepting group whereas E(HOMO) is more influenced by the donor part of the molecule. These properties are independent from the concept A-D-A or D-A-D. Concerning thermal stability, D-A-D compounds seem to be more stable than A-D-A materials. Another important point is the knowledge that alkyl chains used so far at the backbone of the oligothiophene chain significantly decrease the hole mobility. Two OSCs arranged in an m-i-p-stack (metal – intrinsic – p-doped) with the quinquethiophene DCV2-5T (layer thickness 6 and 10 nm) both reach an efficiency of 2.8 %. They show a high fillfactor (up to 58 %) and reach an open circuit voltage of 1.03 V. Interpretation of the other parameters leads to the assumption that the exciton diffusion length of the molecule is shorter than 10 nm. This results in a recombination of the excitons in the cell with the thicker layer of DCV2-5T.

This work investigates the correlation of structural and photovoltaic properties of dyes used in dye-sensitized solar cells. Experimental methods, including ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy are employed to study optical and electrochemical properties of dye molecules. Computational methods, including density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory, are used to validate and predict the optical and electronic properties of dye molecules, in their isolated state and once embedded into a working electrode device environment that comprises a dye...TiO2 interface. The results chapters begin with the presentation of a series of quinodimethene dyes that are experimentally validated for their photovoltaic application, and associated computational studies reveal that an inner structural factor - a phenyl ring rotation occurring during the optical excitation process - leads to the competitive photovoltaic device performance of these dyes. Carbazole-based dyes are then systematically studied by computation, especially considering charge transfer paths and binding modes of these dyes on a titania surface. The theoretical models for the basic building block of this chemical family of dyes, known as MK-44, successfully support and explain structural discoveries from X-ray diffraction and reflectometry that impact of their function. A benzothiadiazole-based dye, RK-1, is then systematically studied by both experimental and computational methods, and the results show that the π-bridge composed of thiophene, benzothiadiazole and benzene rings leads to excellent charge separation; and the rotation of these rings during the optical excitation process may well be consistent with the fluorescence spectrum. Finally, the well-known ruthenium-based dyes are theoretically studied to determine the properties of different ligands connected to the metal core of the complex. Conformations with different NCS ligands are calculated in terms of energy and explain well the corresponding results from X-ray diffraction. Acid-base properties of carboxyl groups connected to pyridine ligands in N3 and N749 are theoretically calculated based on thermodynamics and density functional theory. Implicit and explicit models are both adopted to predict these acid dissociative constant values, which are generally in a good agreement with the reported experimental data. The thesis concludes with conclusions and a future outlook.