Surface-induced Microstructure and Performance Changes in P3HT Ultrathin Films

Hong-Tao Shan; Jia-Xin He; Bing-Yan Zhu; Xue-Ting Cao; Ying-Ying Yan; Jian-Jun Zhou; Hong Huo

doi:10.1007/s10118-024-3117-5

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Surface-induced Microstructure and Performance Changes in P3HT Ultrathin Films

RESEARCH ARTICLE | Updated：2024-05-11

- Surface-induced Microstructure and Performance Changes in P3HT Ultrathin Films
- Chinese Journal of Polymer Science Vol. 42, Issue 6, Pages: 805-814(2024)
- Affiliations：
  
  Beijing Key Laboratory of Energy Conversion and Storage Materials, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
- Author bio：
  
  hhuo@bnu.edu.cn
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1007/s10118-024-3117-5
  CLC：
- Published：1 June 2024，
  
  Published Online：15 April 2024，
  
  Received：18 January 2024，
  
  Revised：22 February 2024，
  
  Accepted：1 March 2024
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Shan, H. T.; He, J. X.; Zhu, B. Y.; Cao, X. T.; Yan, Y. Y.; Zhou, J. J.; Huo, H. Surface-induced microstructure and performance changes in P3HT ultrathin films. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2024, 42, 805–814

Hong-Tao Shan, Jia-Xin He, Bing-Yan Zhu, et al. Surface-induced Microstructure and Performance Changes in P3HT Ultrathin Films. [J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science 42(6):805-814(2024)
Shan, H. T.; He, J. X.; Zhu, B. Y.; Cao, X. T.; Yan, Y. Y.; Zhou, J. J.; Huo, H. Surface-induced microstructure and performance changes in P3HT ultrathin films. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2024, 42, 805–814 DOI： 10.1007/s10118-024-3117-5.

Hong-Tao Shan, Jia-Xin He, Bing-Yan Zhu, et al. Surface-induced Microstructure and Performance Changes in P3HT Ultrathin Films. [J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science 42(6):805-814(2024) DOI： 10.1007/s10118-024-3117-5.

摘要

The conductivity of the P3HT ultrathin films prepared on glass

Si wafers and ITO substrates was similar

yet the stretchability of P3HT ultrathin films on ITO substrate is better than that on the other two. The polar component of surface energy plays a critical role on the crystalline and morphology of P3HT ultrathin film

further determining its electronic and mechanical performances.

Abstract

In this work

poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) ultrathin films (P3HT-T) were prepared by spin-coating a dilute P3HT solution (in a toluene:

-dichlorobenzene (Tol:ODCB) blend with a volume ratio of 80:20) with ultrason

ication and the addition of the nucleating agent bicycle [2.2.1

]

heptane-2

3-dicarboxylic acid disodium salt (HPN-68L) on glass

Si wafers and indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates. The electrical and mechanical properties of the P3HT-T ultrathin films were investigated

and it was found that the conductivity and crack onset strain (COS) were simultaneously improved in comparison with those of the corresponding pristine P3HT film (P3HT-0

without ultrasonication and nucleating agent) on the same substrate

regardless of what substrate was used. Moreover

the conductivity of P3HT-T ultrathin films on different substrates was similar (varying from 3.7 S·cm

−1

to 4.4 S·cm

−1

)

yet the COS increased from 97% to 138% by varying the substrate from a Si wafer to ITO. Combining grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray diffraction (GIXRD)

UV-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM)

we found that the solid order and crystallinity of the P3HT-T ultrathin film on the Si wafer are highest

followed by those on glass

and much lower on ITO. Finally

the surface energy and roughness of three substrates were investigated

and it was found that the polar component of the surface energy

plays a critical role in determining the crystalline microstructures of P3HT ultrathin films on different substrates. Our work indicates that the P3HT ultrathin film can obviously improve the stretchability and simultaneously retain similar electrical performance when a suitable substrate is chosen. These findings offer a new direction for research on stretchable CP ultrathin films to facilitate future practical applications.

关键词

Keywords

P3HT ultrathin filmSubstrateCrystalline microstructuresPolar component of the surface energyElectrical and stretchable performances

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