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 1978-1989

Subject Categories

Chemical Sciences

DOI

10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2013.07.009

More information

Latest update

4/20/2018