Film-like conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) are fabricated by the novel strategy of carbazole-based electropolymerization. The CMP film storing a mass of counterions acting as an anode interlayer provides a significant power-conversion efficiency of 7.56% in polymer solar cells and 20.7 cd A(-1) in polymer light-emitting diodes, demonstrating its universality and potential as an electrode interlayer in organic electronics.
Conjugated microporous polymers are a unique class of polymers that combine extended π-conjugation with inherent porosity. However, these polymers are synthesized through solution-phase reactions to yield insoluble and unprocessable solids, which preclude not only the evaluation of their conducting properties but also the fabrication of thin films for device implementation. Here, we report a strategy for the synthesis of thin films of π-conjugated microporous polymers by designing thiophene-based electropolymerization at the solution–electrode interface. High-quality films are prepared on a large area of various electrodes, the film thickness is controllable, and the films are used for device fabrication. These films are outstanding hole conductors and, upon incorporation of fullerenes into the pores, function as highly efficient photoactive layers for energy conversions. Our film strategy may boost the applications in photocatalysis, energy storage, and optoelectronics.
A poly(thieno[3,4‐b]‐thiophene/benzodithiophene) (PTB7)‐based polymer solar cell (PSC) with conventional structure can achieve a significant power conversion efficiency of 8.42%, which is realized by integrated optimization of both anode and cathode interlayers. The effects of a conjugated microporous polymer film as the anode interlayer are threefold: it enhances the contact with active layer, increases the work function and conductivity, and blocks electrons.
Organic optoelectronics are promising technologies for energy conversion. However, the electrode interlayer, a key material between active layers and conducting electrodes that controls the transport of charge carriers in and out of devices, is still a chemical challenge. Herein, we report a class of porous organic polymers with tunable work function as hole- and electron-selective electrode interlayers. The network with organoborane and carbazole units exhibits extremely low work-function-selective electron flow; while upon ionic ligation and electro-oxidation, the network significantly increases the work function and turns into hole conduction. We demonstrate their outstanding functions as anode and cathode interlayers in energy-converting solar cells and light-emitting diodes.
Background: Altered expression of T cell immune inhibitory receptors may result in immunosuppression and associate with the poor prognosis of leukemia patients in which the leukemic bone marrow (BM) microenvironment may contribute to such immunosuppression. We found higher numbers of programmed death-1 (PD-1) + exhausted T cells in peripheral blood (PB) from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. To investigate the leukemic BM influence on immunosuppression, we further compared the distributions of PD-1 and T cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (Tim-3) and the exhausted T cell phenotype in PB and BM from AML patients and characterized their relationship with clinical outcome. Methods: PB and BM samples from 15 patients with newly diagnosed AML were collected and analyzed for the expression of PD-1, Tim-3, CD244, and CD57 on CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells by multicolor flow cytometry. Results: The proportions of PD-1 + CD3+ and PD-1 + CD8+ T cells were significantly higher in BM compared with PB. Similarly, higher PD-1 + CD244 + CD3+ and PD-1 + CD244 + CD8+ T cells were found in BM, and an increased tendency for PD-1 + CD244 + CD4+ T cells was also detected in this group. In contrast, increased Tim-3 + CD4+/ Tim-3 + CD244 + CD4+ T cells were predominant in BM compared with PB, but there was no statistically significant difference in Tim-3 + CD8+ T cells. Moreover, PD-1 and Tim-3 double-positive CD3+/CD4+/CD8+ T cells were significantly increased in the BM group. In addition, a higher proportion of PD-1 + Tim-3 + CD3+ T cells in the BM and PD-1 + Tim-3 + CD4+ T cells in PB was detected in non-complete remission (NCR) compared with complete remission (CR) patients after first-cycle chemotherapy. Conclusions: Upregulation of PD-1 and Tim-3 and the exhausted phenotype of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the BM of AML patients may contribute to mediating the leukemic immunosuppressive microenvironment, and increased PD-1 + Tim-3+ CD8+ T cells may be related to T cell dysfunction in AML, which may influence clinical outcome.
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