Poly(4-hexyloxythiazole): A new low band gap semiconductor for polymer electronics

•Poly(4-hexyloxythiazole) was synthesized for the first time.•The polymer films had crystalline nature similar to poly(3-hexylthiophene).•Charge mobility in field effect transistor reached 0.02 cm2/V s.•Bulk heterojunction type solar cells showed a photoresponse up to about 900 nm.

A novel semiconducting polymer poly(4-hexyloxythiazole) with a low optical band gap of 1.4 eV was synthesized and used in organic electronic devices. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements reveal a high degree of crystallinity and lamellar packing of poly(4-hexyloxythiazole) in the film similar to poly(3-hexylthiophene). Field effect transistor charge mobility of poly(4-hexyloxythiazole) arrived 0.02 cm2/V s. Bulk heterojunction type solar cells based on poly(4-hexyloxythiazole) shows a photoresponse up to about 900 nm.

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