This research focused on the development of new metal triimine complexes of Pt(II), Pd(II), and Ni(II) for use in three types of molecular electronic devices: dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), and organic field effect transistors (OFETs). Inorganic complexes combine many advantages of their chemical and photophysical properties and are processable on inexpensive and large area substrates for various optoelectronic applications.

For DSSCs, a series of platinum (II) triimine complexes were synthesized and evaluated as dyes for nanocrystalline oxide semiconductors. Pt (II) forms four coordinate square planar complexes with various co-ligands and counterions and leads to spanning absorption across a wide range in the UV-Vis-NIR regions. When those compounds were applied to the oxide semiconductors, they led to photocurrent generation thus verifying the concept of their utility in solar cells.

In the OLEDs project, a novel pyridyl-triazolate Pt(II) complex, Pt(ptp) ₂ was synthesized and generated breakthrough OLEDs. In the solution state, the electronic absorption and emission of the square planar structure results in metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) and an aggregation band. Tunable photoluminescence and electroluminescence colors from blue to red wavelengths have been attained upon using Pt(ptp)₂ under different experimental conditions and OLED architectures. In taking advantage of these binary characteristics for both monomer and excimer emissions, cool and warm white OLEDs suitable for solid-state lighting have been fabricated.

The OFETs project represented an extension of the study of pyridyl-triazolate d⁸ metal complexes due to their electron-transporting behavior and n-type properties. A prescreening step by using thermogravimetric calorimetry has demonstrated the stability of all three M(ptp)₂ and M(ptp)₂(py)₂ compounds and their amenability to sublimation. Preliminary current-voltage measurements from simple diodes has achieved unidirectional current from a Pt(ptp)₂ neat layer and demonstrated its n-type semiconducting behavior.