Supramolecular structure of electroactive polymer thin films

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation of the supramolecular structure of polydiphenylenephthalide thin films that exhibit effects of resistive switching. The supramolecular structure of the polymer has been investigated using small-angle neutron scattering in conjunction with atomic force microscopy. It has been found that the internal structure of polymer films consists of structural elements in the form of spheroids. The sizes of the structural elements, which were obtained from the neutron scattering data and analysis of the atomic force microscopy images, correlate well with each other. A model of the formation of polymer layers has been proposed. The observed structural elements in polymer films are formed due to the association of macromolecules in the initial polymer solution.

Visualization of conducting channels in polymer layers by atomic force microscopy with a conducting probe

“…It was observed that polymer film thickness is about 115 nm, and structure element size in the deformed region is about 90 nm (Fig. 1, a observed earlier, in terms of the order of value [13]. To observe the current specifics inside the polymer layer in the mode of the constant interaction force maintaining, the deformed sections of polymer film were artificially made not on full depth of polymer film, i.e.…”

“…In any case the conducting channels forming is surely caused by the structure and properties of the corresponding dielectric (polymeric in our case) matrix. Studies [12,13] show that in case of smooth and even external surface the polymer film of PDP is internally structured, while internal structure (supramolecular structure) of films is associated with macromolecules association in initial solution. Before that, using mathematical model methods, it was observed that the most energetically favorable configurations of PDP macromolecules are linear syndiotactic and spiral isotactic.…”

Transport properties of layered heterostructures based on conducting polymer

“…Polymers of this class are soluble in organic solvents and have exceptional film-forming properties [5,6]. According to these results, continuous homogeneous films can be obtained by centrifugation from a solution in cyclohexanone on a metal surface with a thickness of up to several nanometers.…”