Butterfly nanostructures via regioregularly grafted multi-walled carbon nanotubes and poly(3-hexylthiophene) to improve photovoltaic characteristics

Butterfly wing architectures inspire sensor and energy applications

Natural biological systems are constantly developing efficient mechanisms to counter adverse effects of increasing human population and depleting energy resources. Their intelligent mechanisms are characterized by the ability to detect changes in the environment, store and evaluate information, and respond to external stimuli. Bio-inspired replication into man-made functional materials guarantees enhancement of characteristics and performance. Specifically, butterfly architectures have inspired the fabrication of sensor and energy materials by replicating their unique micro/nanostructures, light-trapping mechanisms and selective responses to external stimuli. These bio-inspired sensor and energy materials have shown improved performance in harnessing renewable energy, environmental remediation and health monitoring. Therefore, this review highlights recent progress reported on the classification of butterfly wing scale architectures and explores several bio-inspired sensor and energy applications.

Manipulation of PBDT-DTNT:PCBM photoactive layers for a stability increment by core–shell and core–mantle–shell supramolecules

Two types of core–shell and core–mantle–shell supramolecules were designed based on grafted-CNTs and PBDT-DTNT chains and employed in the active layers of PBDT-DTNT:PC₇₁BM solar cells to stabilize morphology and performance.

Design and synthesis of aniline-appended P3HT for single step covalent functionalisation of carbon nanotubes

Aniline-appended P3HT copolymer allows covalent functionalization of carbon nanotubes in a single step. Both copolymer synthesis and the resulting nanohybrid characterisations are reported.

Influence of Backbone Regioregularity on High-Mobility Conjugated Polymers Based on Alkylated Dithienylacrylonitrile

We designed and synthesized two donor-acceptor type conjugated polymers, the regioirregular polymer RI-PDPP-CNTVT-6 and its regioregular counterpart RR-PDPP-CNTVT-6, based on diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) and alkylated dithienylacrylonitrile (CNTVT) units. Among them, the 2-decyltetradecyl side chain on the DPP acceptor unit and the hexyl side chain on the CNTVT donor unit were used to ensure enough solubility for them. The backbone regioregularity was used to tune electronic structures and carrier transport of the conjugated system. The two conjugated polymers were characterized for their thermal, photophysical, electrochemical, and solution-processable properties, thin-film microstructures, and morphologies. The top-gate bottom-contact configuration organic field-effect transistor (OFET) devices based on these two conjugated polymers showed excellent ambipolar performances. Remarkably, the regioirregular polymer RI-PDPP-CNTVT-6 exhibited higher charge-carrier mobilities than the regioregular counterpart polymer RR-PDPP-CNTVT-6 did, as their highest hole/electron mobilities (μ_hmax/μ_emax) were 1.48/1.27 and 0.48/0.052 cm² V^-1 s^-1, respectively. Moreover, the influence of backbone regioregularity on its thermal stability, electrochemical and photophysical properties, solution processability, and charge-carrier mobility was intensively studied. Our results afforded a promising pathway toward the development of excellent ambipolar OFETs with high performance, good solution processability, and thermal stability.