Controlled Assembly of Poly(3‐hexylthiophene): Managing the Disorder to Order Transition on the Nano‐ through Meso‐Scales |
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| Authors: | Dalsu Choi Mincheol Chang Elsa Reichmanis |
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| Affiliation: | 1. School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA;2. School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA;3. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA |
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| Abstract: | Self‐assembly of conjugated organic semiconductors into ordered, larger scale entities is a critical process to achieve efficient charge transport at the nano‐ through macro‐scales, and various methodologies aimed at enhancing molecular ordering have been introduced. However, mechanistic understanding is limited. Here, a mechanistic elucidation of poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) molecular self‐assembly is proposed based on experimental demonstration of controlled, solution‐based P3HT self‐assembly into rod‐like polycrystalline nanostructures. The synergistic combination of nonsolvent addition and ultrasonication facilitates rod‐like P3HT nanostructure formation in solution. Importantly, through sequential application of both treatments, nanostructure length can be easily modulated, and the assembly process is shown to follow a simple 2‐step crystallization model, which depends upon nucleation followed by growth. Through arrays of experimental results, the validity of 2‐step crystallization is confirmed and is proposed as a comprehensive platform to understand self‐assembly processes of conjugated polymers into larger, ordered mesoscale entities. |
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| Keywords: | conjugated polymers organic electronics organic field‐effect transistors self‐assembly structure– property relationships |
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