Regioregular Polythiophene Solar Cells: Material Properties and Performance

Ewbank, Paul C.; Laird, Darin; McCullough, Richard D.

doi:10.1002/9783527623198.ch1

Cited by 7 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 213 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…One-dimensional (1D) nanofibers composed of π-conjugated, semiconducting homopolymers are currently of major interest as active components of devices, for example, as solution-processable components for organic photovoltaics due to their high carrier mobility. In particular, regioregular poly(3-alkylthiophene)s (P3ATs), such as poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), are promising as they possess desirable optoelectronic properties. − An essential parameter for high performance photovoltaic devices is a high hole mobility, which is provided by crystalline P3AT nanofibers. ,, Further applications as emissive and conductive nanowires with a crystalline, π-conjugated nanofiber morphology have also been reported. , However, the lack of colloidal stability complicates solution processing, and the near absence of fiber length control hinders device optimization.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward Uniform Nanofibers with a π-Conjugated Core: Optimizing the “Living” Crystallization-Driven Self-Assembly of Diblock Copolymers with a Poly(3-octylthiophene) Core-Forming Block

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Crystalline poly(3-alkylthiophene) (P3AT) nanofibers are promising materials for a myriad of device applications but nanofiber length control and colloidal stability are difficult to achieve. We report an in depth study of the solution self-assembly of regioregular poly(3-octylthiophene)-bpoly(dimethylsiloxane) (P3OT-b-PDMS) diblock copolymers with a crystallizable p-conjugated coreforming block. Use of "living" crystallization-driven self-assembly (CDSA) seeded-growth method in solvents selective for PDMS allowed access to relatively low length dispersity, colloidally stable P3OTb-PDMS fiber-like micelles with a crystalline, tape-like P3OT core and a PDMS corona and lengths up to ca. 600 nm under optimised conditions. Significantly, the presence of a small percentage of common solvent and the use of slightly elevated temperature (35°C) was found to enhance the length control. Analogous studies for P3OT-b-PS (PS = polystyrene) suggest that solvent composition and temperature represent key parameters for the general optimisation of fiber formation by living CDSA for P3AT block copolymers.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward Uniform Nanofibers with a π-Conjugated Core: Optimizing the “Living” Crystallization-Driven Self-Assembly of Diblock Copolymers with a Poly(3-octylthiophene) Core-Forming Block

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…π-Conjugated polymers such as poly(3-alkylthiophene)s (P3ATs) have been studied extensively due to their potential applications in optoelectronic devices such as field-effect transistors and solar cells . Rod–coil block copolymers containing a polythiophene segment form highly ordered stacked structures in thin films and provide an enhanced interfacial area for charge separation as well as an efficient pathway for charge transport .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Uniform, High Aspect Ratio Fiber-like Micelles and Block Co-micelles with a Crystalline π-Conjugated Polythiophene Core by Self-Seeding

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Monodisperse fiber-like micelles with a crystalline π-conjugated polythiophene core with lengths up to ca. 700 nm were successfully prepared from the diblock copolymer poly(3-hexylthiophene)-block-polystyrene using a one-dimensional self-seeding technique. Addition of a polythiophene block copolymer with a different corona-forming block to the resulting nanofibers led to the formation of segmented B-A-B triblock co-micelles by crystallization-driven seeded growth. The key to these advances appears to be the formation of a relatively defect-free crystalline micelle core under the self-seeding conditions.

show abstract

“…This end group was then deprotected to yield regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (rrP3HT) with hydroxyl end group (21). Similarly, a thiophene bearing STABASE [82]-protected amino group was substituted with bromine end group (22), and subsequently deprotected to yield rrP3HT with an amino end group (23). Further, these end groups can be converted to polyacrylates or polystyrenes (PSs), leading to rrP3AT-based rod-coil block copolymers, as described in Section 3.7.…”

Section: End Group Functionalizationmentioning

confidence: 99%