High Performing Organic Electronics Using Terpene Green Solvents from Renewable Feedstocks

Accelerating the shift towards renewable materials and sustainable processes for printed organic electronic devices is crucial for a green circular economy. Currently, the fabrication of organic devices with competitive performances is linked to toxic petrochemical-based solvents with considerable carbon emissions. Here, we show that terpene solvents obtained from renewable feedstocks can replace nonrenewable environmentally hazardous solvent counterparts in the production of highly efficient organic photovoltaics (OPV) light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and field-effect transistors (OFETs) with on par performances. Using a Hansen solubility ink formulation framework, we identify various terpene solvent systems and investigate effective film formation and drying mechanisms required for optimal charge transport. This approach is universal for state-of-the art materials in OPV, OLED and OFETs. We created an interactive library of green solvent selections available at: omegalabresearch.com/resources. As potential carbon-negative solvents, terpenes open a unique and universal approach towards efficient, large-area and stable organic electronic devices.