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Alam KM, Garcia JC, Kiriakou MV, Chaulagain N, Vrushabendrakumar D, Cranston ED, Gusarov S, Kobryn AE, Shankar K. Enhanced luminescence sensing performance and increased intrachain order in blended films of P3HT and cellulose nanocrystals. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 34:205703. [PMID: 36787629 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/acbbd1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Blended films comprising poly(butyl acrylate) (PBA)-grafted cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), exhibited more intense photoluminescence (PL) and longer PL emission lifetimes compared to pristine P3HT films. Optical absorption and photoluminescence spectra indicated reduced torsional disorder i.e. enhanced backbone planarity in the P3HT@CNC blended composites compared to the bare P3HT. Such molecule-level geometrical modification resulted in both smaller interchain and higher intrachain exciton bandwidth in the blended composites compared to the bare P3HT, because of reduced interchain interactions and enhanced intrachain order. These results indicate a potential switch of the aggregation behavior from dominant H-aggregates to J-aggregates, supported by Raman spectroscopy. The reorganization of micromolecular structure and concomitant macroscopic aggregation of the conjugated polymer chains resulted in a longer conjugation length for the P3HT@CNC blended composites compared to the bare P3HT. Additionally, this nanoscale morphological change produced a reduction in the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy gap of the blends, evidenced from optical absorption spectra. Classical molecular dynamics simulation studies predicted the probability of enhanced planarity in the polymer backbone following interactions with CNC surfaces. Theoretical results from density functional theory calculations corroborate the experimentally observed reduction of optical bandgap in the blends compared to bare P3HT. The blended composite outperformed the bare P3HT in nitro-group PL sensing tests with a pronounced difference in the reaction kinetics. While the PL quenching dynamics for bare P3HT followed Stern-Volmer kinetics, the P3HT@CNC blended composite exhibited a drastic deviation from the same. This work shows the potential of a functionalized rod-like biopolymer in tuning the optoelectronic properties of a technologically important polymeric organic semiconductor through control of the nanoscale morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazi M Alam
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
- Nanotechnology Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 11421 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M9, Canada
| | - John C Garcia
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Michael V Kiriakou
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L7, Canada
| | - Narendra Chaulagain
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Damini Vrushabendrakumar
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Emily D Cranston
- Departments of Wood Science and Chemical & Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z2, Canada
| | - Sergey Gusarov
- Nanotechnology Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 11421 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M9, Canada
| | - Alexander E Kobryn
- Nanotechnology Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, 11421 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M9, Canada
| | - Karthik Shankar
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
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Mardi S, Yusupov K, Martinez PM, Zakhidov A, Vomiero A, Reale A. Enhanced Thermoelectric Properties of Poly(3-hexylthiophene) through the Incorporation of Aligned Carbon Nanotube Forest and Chemical Treatments. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:1073-1082. [PMID: 33490766 PMCID: PMC7818073 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c02663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Carbon nanotube/polymer composites have recently received considerable attention for thermoelectric (TE) applications. The TE power factor can be significantly improved by forming composites with carbon nanotubes. However, the formation of a uniform and well-ordered nanocomposite film is still challenging because of the creation of agglomerates and the uneven distribution of nanotubes. Here, we developed a facile, efficient, and easy-processable route to produce uniform and aligned nanocomposite films of P3HT and carbon nanotube forest (CNTF). The electrical conductivity of a pristine P3HT film was improved from ∼10-7 to 160 S/cm thanks to the presence of CNTF. Also, a further boost in TE performance was achieved using two additives, lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (LiTFSI) and tert-butylpyridine. By adding the additives to P3HT, the degree of interchain order increased, which facilitated the charge transport through the composite. Under the optimal conditions, the incorporation of CNTF and additives led to values of the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and power factor up to rising 92 μV/K, 130 S/cm, and 110 μW/m K2, respectively, at a temperature of 344.15 K. The excellent TE performance of the hybrid films originates from the dramatically increased electrical conductivity and the improved Seebeck coefficient by CNTF and additives, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeed Mardi
- Department
of Electronic Engineering, CHOSE-Centre for Hybrid and Organic Solar
Energy, University of Rome Tor Vergata, via del Politecnico 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Khabib Yusupov
- Division
of Materials Science, Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 LuleÅ, Sweden
| | - Patricia M. Martinez
- NanoTech
Institute, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Anvar Zakhidov
- NanoTech
Institute, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Alberto Vomiero
- Division
of Materials Science, Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 LuleÅ, Sweden
- Department
of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca’
Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venezia Mestre, Italy
| | - Andrea Reale
- Department
of Electronic Engineering, CHOSE-Centre for Hybrid and Organic Solar
Energy, University of Rome Tor Vergata, via del Politecnico 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
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