The way in which conjugated polymers pack in the solid state strongly affects the performance of polymer-based optoelectronic devices. However, even for the most crystalline conjugated polymers the precise packing...
Semicrystalline
semiconducting polymers such as poly(3-hexylthiophene)
exhibit hierarchical molecular ordering that influences their optoelectronic
properties. As well as possessing crystalline order on the molecular
scale, P3HT also exhibits regular ordering of crystalline lamellae
on the nanoscale. This layering of crystalline and amorphous regions
is characterized by the so-called “long period” which
can be measured with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The weak
scattering contrast between amorphous and crystalline phases generally
requires SAXS measurement of bulk powder samples. Here, we show that
by utilizing polarized tender X-rays tuned to the sulfur K-edge, strong
contrast between amorphous and crystalline phases can be generated
allowing for the long period of thin film P3HT samples to be easily
observed. Furthermore, we show that the contrast generated results
from differences in orientational order in the amorphous and crystalline
regions. The use of resonant tender X-ray scattering is thus a promising
technique for studying nanoscale ordering not only in semiconducting
polymers but also for other soft matter systems.
The structure of a self-doping naphthalenetetracarboxylic diimide was found to be the product of unexpected chemical reactions. The effect a mixed chemical composition has on the doped film morphology and electronic performance is also reported.
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