The impact of molecular weight on microstructure and charge transport in semicrystalline polymer semiconductors–poly(3-hexylthiophene), a model study
Journal article, 2013
Electronic properties of organic semiconductors are often critically dependent upon their ability to order from the molecular level to the macro-scale, as is true for many other materials attributes of macromolecular matter such as mechanical characteristics. Therefore, understanding of the molecular assembly process and the resulting solid-state short- and long-range order is critical to further advance the field of organic electronics. Here, we will discuss the structure development as a function of molecular weight in thin films of a model conjugated polymer, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), when processed from solution and the melt. While focus is on the microstructural manipulation and characterization, we also treat the influence of molecular arrangement and order on electronic processes such as charge transport and show, based on classical polymer science arguments, how accounting for the structural complexity of polymers can provide a basis for establishing relevant processing/structure/property-interrelationships to explain some of their electronic features. Such relationships can assist with the design of new materials and definition of processing protocols that account for the molecular length, chain rigidity and propensity to order of a given system.
Chain-extended crystals
Molecular weight
Charge transport
Semicrystalline
Poly(3-hexylthiophene)
Author
Felix Peter Vinzenz Koch
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETH)
Jonathan Rivnay
Stanford University
Sam Foster
Imperial College London
Christian Müller
Chalmers, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Polymer Technology
Jonathan M. Downing
Imperial College London
Ester Buchaca-Domingo
Imperial College London
Paul Westacott
Imperial College London
Liyang Yu
Imperial College London
Mingijan Yuan
University of Washington
Mohammed Baklar
Imperial College London
Zhuping Fei
Imperial College London
Christine Luscombe
University of Washington
Martyn A. McLachlan
Imperial College London
Martin Heeney
Imperial College London
Garry Rumbles
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
University of Colorado at Boulder
Carlos Silva
Imperial College London
Université de Montréal
Alberto Salleo
Stanford University
J. Nelson
Imperial College London
Paul Smith
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETH)
Imperial College London
N. Stingelin
Imperial College London
Progress in Polymer Science
0079-6700 (ISSN)
Vol. 38 12 1978-1989Subject Categories
Chemical Sciences
DOI
10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2013.07.009