1
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Paleti SHK, Kim Y, Kimpel J, Craighero M, Haraguchi S, Müller C. Impact of doping on the mechanical properties of conjugated polymers. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:1702-1729. [PMID: 38265833 PMCID: PMC10876084 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00833a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Conjugated polymers exhibit a unique portfolio of electrical and electrochemical behavior, which - paired with the mechanical properties that are typical for macromolecules - make them intriguing candidates for a wide range of application areas from wearable electronics to bioelectronics. However, the degree of oxidation or reduction of the polymer can strongly impact the mechanical response and thus must be considered when designing flexible or stretchable devices. This tutorial review first explores how the chain architecture, processing as well as the resulting nano- and microstructure impact the rheological and mechanical properties. In addition, different methods for the mechanical characterization of thin films and bulk materials such as fibers are summarized. Then, the review discusses how chemical and electrochemical doping alter the mechanical properties in terms of stiffness and ductility. Finally, the mechanical response of (doped) conjugated polymers is discussed in the context of (1) organic photovoltaics, representing thin-film devices with a relatively low charge-carrier density, (2) organic thermoelectrics, where chemical doping is used to realize thin films or bulk materials with a high doping level, and (3) organic electrochemical transistors, where electrochemical doping allows high charge-carrier densities to be reached, albeit accompanied by significant swelling. In the future, chemical and electrochemical doping may not only allow modulation and optimization of the electrical and electrochemical behavior of conjugated polymers, but also facilitate the design of materials with a tunable mechanical response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sri Harish Kumar Paleti
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Youngseok Kim
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Joost Kimpel
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Mariavittoria Craighero
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Shuichi Haraguchi
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Christian Müller
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg, Sweden
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg, Sweden.
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2
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Bhat V, Callaway CP, Risko C. Computational Approaches for Organic Semiconductors: From Chemical and Physical Understanding to Predicting New Materials. Chem Rev 2023. [PMID: 37141497 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
While a complete understanding of organic semiconductor (OSC) design principles remains elusive, computational methods─ranging from techniques based in classical and quantum mechanics to more recent data-enabled models─can complement experimental observations and provide deep physicochemical insights into OSC structure-processing-property relationships, offering new capabilities for in silico OSC discovery and design. In this Review, we trace the evolution of these computational methods and their application to OSCs, beginning with early quantum-chemical methods to investigate resonance in benzene and building to recent machine-learning (ML) techniques and their application to ever more sophisticated OSC scientific and engineering challenges. Along the way, we highlight the limitations of the methods and how sophisticated physical and mathematical frameworks have been created to overcome those limitations. We illustrate applications of these methods to a range of specific challenges in OSCs derived from π-conjugated polymers and molecules, including predicting charge-carrier transport, modeling chain conformations and bulk morphology, estimating thermomechanical properties, and describing phonons and thermal transport, to name a few. Through these examples, we demonstrate how advances in computational methods accelerate the deployment of OSCsin wide-ranging technologies, such as organic photovoltaics (OPVs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic thermoelectrics, organic batteries, and organic (bio)sensors. We conclude by providing an outlook for the future development of computational techniques to discover and assess the properties of high-performing OSCs with greater accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinayak Bhat
- Department of Chemistry & Center for Applied Energy Research, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0055, United States
| | - Connor P Callaway
- Department of Chemistry & Center for Applied Energy Research, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0055, United States
| | - Chad Risko
- Department of Chemistry & Center for Applied Energy Research, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0055, United States
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3
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Herrmann K, Freund S, Eller F, Rößler T, Papastavrou G, Herzig EM, Retsch M. Microstructural and Thermal Transport Properties of Regioregular Poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) Thin Films. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 15:7700. [PMID: 36363292 PMCID: PMC9654977 DOI: 10.3390/ma15217700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Polymeric thin films offer a wide range of exciting properties and applications, with several advantages compared to inorganic counterparts. The thermal conductivity of such thin films ranges typically between 0.1-1 W m-1 K-1. This low thermal conductivity can cause problems with heat dissipation in various applications. Detailed knowledge about thermal transport in polymeric thin films is desired to overcome these shortcomings, especially in light of the multitude of possible microstructures for semi-crystalline thin films. Therefore, poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) is chosen as a model system to analyze the microstructure and optoelectronic properties using X-ray scattering and absorption spectra along with the thermal transport properties using the photoacoustic technique. This combination of analysis methods allows for determining the optoelectronic and thermal transport properties on the same specimen, supplemented by structural information. The effect of different molecular weights and solvents during film preparation is systematically examined. A variation of the optoelectronic properties, mainly regarding molecular weight, is apparent, while no direct influence of the solvent during preparation is discernible. In contrast, the thermal conductivities of all films examined fall within a similar range. Therefore, the microstructural properties in the ordered regions do not significantly affect the resulting thermal properties in the sample space investigated in this work. We conclude that it is mainly the amorphous regions that determine the thermal transport properties, as these represent a bottleneck for thermal transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Herrmann
- Department of Chemistry, Physical Chemistry 1, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Simon Freund
- Department of Chemistry, Physical Chemistry 1, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Fabian Eller
- Dynamics and Structure Formation—Herzig Group, Department of Physics, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Tamino Rößler
- Physical Chemistry 2, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Georg Papastavrou
- Physical Chemistry 2, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bavarian Polymer Institute, Bayreuth Center for Colloids and Interfaces and Bavarian Center for Battery Technology (BayBatt), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Eva M. Herzig
- Dynamics and Structure Formation—Herzig Group, Department of Physics, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Markus Retsch
- Department of Chemistry, Physical Chemistry 1, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bavarian Polymer Institute, Bayreuth Center for Colloids and Interfaces and Bavarian Center for Battery Technology (BayBatt), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
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4
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Borzdun N, Glova A, Larin S, Lyulin S. Influence of Asphaltene Modification on Structure of P3HT/Asphaltene Blends: Molecular Dynamics Simulations. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:2867. [PMID: 36014732 PMCID: PMC9413297 DOI: 10.3390/nano12162867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Further development and commercialization of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells require the search for novel low-cost materials. The present study addresses the relations between the asphaltenes' chemical structure and the morphology of the poly(3-hexylthiohene) (P3HT)/asphaltene blends as potential materials for the design of BHJ solar cells. By means of all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, the formation of heterophase morphology is observed for the P3HT-based blends with carboxyl-containing asphaltenes, as well as the aggregation of the asphaltenes into highly ordered stacks. Although the π-π interactions between the polyaromatic cores of the asphaltenes in solutions are sufficient for the molecules to aggregate into ordered stacks, in a blend with a conjugated polymer, additional stabilizing factors are required, such as hydrogen bonding between carboxyl groups. It is found that the asphaltenes' aliphatic side groups may improve significantly the miscibility between the polymer and the asphaltenes, thereby preventing the formation of heterophase morphology. The results also demonstrate that the carboxyl-containing asphaltenes/P3HT ratio should be at least 1:1, as a decrease in concentration of the asphaltenes leads to the folding of the polymer chains, lower ordering in the polymer phase and the destruction of the interpenetrating 3D structure formed by P3HT and the asphaltene phases. Overall, the results of the present study for the first time reveal the aggregation behavior of the asphaltenes of varying chemical structures in P3HT, as well the influence of their presence and concentration on the polymer phase structure and blend morphology, paving the way for future development of BHJ solar cells based on the conjugated polymer/asphaltene blends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Borzdun
- Institute of Macromolecular Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Bolshoi pr. 31 (V.O.), 199004 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Artyom Glova
- Institute of Macromolecular Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Bolshoi pr. 31 (V.O.), 199004 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Sergey Larin
- Institute of Macromolecular Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Bolshoi pr. 31 (V.O.), 199004 St. Petersburg, Russia
- Faculty of Physics, St. Petersburg State University, Ulyanovskaya str. 1–3, Peterhof, 198504 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Sergey Lyulin
- Institute of Macromolecular Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Bolshoi pr. 31 (V.O.), 199004 St. Petersburg, Russia
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5
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Park JS, Kim GU, Lee S, Lee JW, Li S, Lee JY, Kim BJ. Material Design and Device Fabrication Strategies for Stretchable Organic Solar Cells. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2201623. [PMID: 35765775 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202201623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic solar cells (OSCs) have greatly enhanced their commercial viability. Considering the technical standards (e.g., mechanical robustness) required for wearable electronics, which are promising application platforms for OSCs, the development of fully stretchable OSCs (f-SOSCs) should be accelerated. Here, a comprehensive overview of f-SOSCs, which are aimed to reliably operate under various forms of mechanical stress, including bending and multidirectional stretching, is provided. First, the mechanical requirements of f-SOSCs, in terms of tensile and cohesion/adhesion properties, are summarized along with the experimental methods to evaluate those properties. Second, essential studies to make each layer of f-SOSCs stretchable and efficient are discussed, emphasizing strategies to simultaneously enhance the photovoltaic and mechanical properties of the active layer, ranging from material design to fabrication control. Key improvements to the other components/layers (i.e., substrate, electrodes, and interlayers) are also covered. Lastly, considering that f-SOSC research is in its infancy, the current challenges and future prospects are explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Su Park
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Geon-U Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungjin Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Woo Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Sheng Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Yong Lee
- School of Electrical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Bumjoon J Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
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6
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Savedra RML, de Morais MNB, Siqueira MF. On the microstructures of the bulk of P3HT amorphous films obtained from two protocols: Insights from molecular dynamics simulations. J Mol Graph Model 2022; 117:108279. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2022.108279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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7
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Wu ECK, Salamat CZ, Tolbert SH, Schwartz BJ. Molecular Dynamics Study of the Thermodynamics of Integer Charge Transfer vs Charge-Transfer Complex Formation in Doped Conjugated Polymers. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:26988-27001. [PMID: 35657331 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c06449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Molecular dopants such as 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4TCNQ) can interact with conjugated polymers such as poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) in two different ways: they can undergo integer charge transfer (ICT) or they can form a partial-charge-transfer complex (CTC). Both are seen experimentally, but the CTC has been challenging to characterize, making it difficult to answer questions such as the following. Which polymorph is more stable? Do they have similar barriers for formation? Is there a thermodynamic route to convert one to the other? Here, we study the structure and the thermodynamics of bulk F4TCNQ-doped P3HT with all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, using thermodynamic integration to calculate the relative free energies. We find that the ICT and CTC polymorphs have similar thermodynamic stabilities. The barrier to create the ICT polymorph, however, is lower than that to make the CTC polymorph, because the ICT polymorph has a small critical nucleus, but the critical nucleus for the CTC polymorph is larger than what we can simulate. Moreover, simulated thermal annealing shows that the activation barrier for converting the CTC polymorph to the ICT polymorph is relatively modest. Overall, the simulations explain both the observed structures and the thermodynamics of F4TCNQ-doped P3HT and offer guidelines for targeting the production of a desired polymorph for different applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Chih-Kuan Wu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, California 90095-1569, United States
| | - Charlene Z Salamat
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, California 90095-1569, United States
| | - Sarah H Tolbert
- Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Materials Science and Engineering University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, California 90095-1569, United States
| | - Benjamin J Schwartz
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, California 90095-1569, United States
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8
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Nanayakkara MPA, Masteghin MG, Basiricò L, Fratelli I, Ciavatti A, Kilbride RC, Jenatsch S, Webb T, Richheimer F, Wood S, Castro FA, Parnell AJ, Fraboni B, Jayawardena KDGI, Silva SRP. Molecular Weight Tuning of Organic Semiconductors for Curved Organic-Inorganic Hybrid X-Ray Detectors. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2101746. [PMID: 34755497 PMCID: PMC8805550 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202101746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Curved X-ray detectors have the potential to revolutionize diverse sectors due to benefits such as reduced image distortion and vignetting compared to their planar counterparts. While the use of inorganic semiconductors for curved detectors are restricted by their brittle nature, organic-inorganic hybrid semiconductors which incorporated bismuth oxide nanoparticles in an organic bulk heterojunction consisting of poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl C71 butyric acid methyl ester (PC70 BM) are considered to be more promising in this regard. However, the influence of the P3HT molecular weight on the mechanical stability of curved, thick X-ray detectors remains less well understood. Herein, high P3HT molecular weights (>40 kDa) are identified to allow increased intermolecular bonding and chain entanglements, resulting in X-ray detectors that can be curved to a radius as low as 1.3 mm with low deviation in X-ray response under 100 repeated bending cycles while maintaining an industry-standard dark current of <1 pA mm-2 and a sensitivity of ≈ 0.17 μC Gy-1 cm-2 . This study identifies a crucial missing link in the development of curved detectors, namely the importance of the molecular weight of the polymer semiconductors used.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Prabodhi A. Nanayakkara
- Advanced Technology InstituteDepartment of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringUniversity of SurreyGuildfordSurreyGU2 7XHUK
| | - Mateus G. Masteghin
- Advanced Technology InstituteDepartment of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringUniversity of SurreyGuildfordSurreyGU2 7XHUK
| | - Laura Basiricò
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of BolognaViale Berti Pichat 6/2Bologna40127Italy
- National Institute for Nuclear PhysicsINFN section of BolognaBologna40127Italy
| | - Ilaria Fratelli
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of BolognaViale Berti Pichat 6/2Bologna40127Italy
- National Institute for Nuclear PhysicsINFN section of BolognaBologna40127Italy
| | - Andrea Ciavatti
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of BolognaViale Berti Pichat 6/2Bologna40127Italy
- National Institute for Nuclear PhysicsINFN section of BolognaBologna40127Italy
| | - Rachel C. Kilbride
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of SheffieldHicks BuildingSheffieldS3 7RHUK
| | | | - Thomas Webb
- Advanced Technology InstituteDepartment of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringUniversity of SurreyGuildfordSurreyGU2 7XHUK
| | | | - Sebastian Wood
- National Physical LaboratoryTeddingtonMiddlesexTW11 0LWUK
| | | | - Andrew J. Parnell
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of SheffieldHicks BuildingSheffieldS3 7RHUK
| | - Beatrice Fraboni
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of BolognaViale Berti Pichat 6/2Bologna40127Italy
- National Institute for Nuclear PhysicsINFN section of BolognaBologna40127Italy
| | - K. D. G. Imalka Jayawardena
- Advanced Technology InstituteDepartment of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringUniversity of SurreyGuildfordSurreyGU2 7XHUK
| | - S. Ravi P. Silva
- Advanced Technology InstituteDepartment of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringUniversity of SurreyGuildfordSurreyGU2 7XHUK
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9
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Konrad M, Wenzel W. CONI-Net: Machine Learning of Separable Intermolecular Force Fields. J Chem Theory Comput 2021; 17:4996-5006. [PMID: 34247485 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.1c00328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Noncovalent interactions (NCIs) play an essential role in soft matter and biomolecular simulations. The ab initio method symmetry-adapted perturbation theory allows a precise quantitative analysis of NCIs and offers an inherent energy decomposition, enabling a deeper understanding of the nature of intermolecular interactions. However, this method is limited to small systems, for instance, dimers of molecules. Here, we present a scale-bridging approach to systematically derive an intermolecular force field from ab initio data while preserving the energy decomposition of the underlying method. We apply the model in molecular dynamics simulations of several solvents and compare two predicted thermodynamic observables-mass density and enthalpy of vaporization-to experiments and established force fields. For a data set limited to hydrocarbons, we investigate the extrapolation capabilities to molecules absent from the training set. Overall, despite the affordable moderate quality of the reference ab initio data, we find promising results. With the straightforward data set generation procedure and the lack of target data in the fitting process, we have developed a method that enables the rapid development of predictive force fields with an extra dimension of insights into the balance of NCIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Konrad
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wenzel
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany
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10
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Zhang S, Galuska LA, Gu X. Water‐assisted
mechanical testing of polymeric
thin‐films. JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/pol.20210281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Song Zhang
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering The University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg Mississippi USA
| | - Luke A. Galuska
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering The University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg Mississippi USA
| | - Xiaodan Gu
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering The University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg Mississippi USA
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11
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Zhang S, Koizumi M, Cao Z, Mao KS, Qian Z, Galuska LA, Jin L, Gu X. Directly Probing the Fracture Behavior of Ultrathin Polymeric Films. ACS POLYMERS AU 2021; 1:16-29. [PMID: 36855554 PMCID: PMC9954313 DOI: 10.1021/acspolymersau.1c00005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Understanding fracture mechanics of ultrathin polymeric films is crucial for modern technologies, including semiconductor and coating industries. However, up to now, the fracture behavior of sub-100 nm polymeric thin films is rarely explored due to challenges in handling samples and limited testing methods available. In this work, we report a new testing methodology that can not only visualize the evolution of the local stress distribution through wrinkling patterns and crack propagation during the deformation of ultrathin films but also directly measure their fracture energies. Using ultrathin polystyrene films as a model system, we both experimentally and computationally investigate the effect of the film thickness and molecular weight on their fracture behavior, both of which show a ductile-to-brittle transition. Furthermore, we demonstrate the broad applicability of this testing method in semicrystalline semiconducting polymers. We anticipate our methodology described here could provide new ways of studying the fracture behavior of ultrathin films under confinement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Zhang
- School
of Polymer Science and Engineering, Center for Optoelectronic Materials
and Device, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Masato Koizumi
- Department
of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Zhiqiang Cao
- School
of Polymer Science and Engineering, Center for Optoelectronic Materials
and Device, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Keyou S. Mao
- Materials
Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge
National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Zhiyuan Qian
- School
of Polymer Science and Engineering, Center for Optoelectronic Materials
and Device, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Luke A. Galuska
- School
of Polymer Science and Engineering, Center for Optoelectronic Materials
and Device, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Lihua Jin
- Department
of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States,
| | - Xiaodan Gu
- School
of Polymer Science and Engineering, Center for Optoelectronic Materials
and Device, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States,
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12
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Yoshimoto Y, Sugiyama S, Shimada S, Kaneko T, Takagi S, Kinefuchi I. Molecular Insights into the Mechanical Properties of Polymer–Fullerene Bulk Heterojunctions for Organic Photovoltaic Applications. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Yoshimoto
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Sou Sugiyama
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Shuntaro Shimada
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Toshihiro Kaneko
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Shu Takagi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Ikuya Kinefuchi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
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13
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Backes IK, González-Garcı A L, Holtsch A, Müller F, Jacobs K, Kraus T. Molecular Origin of Electrical Conductivity in Gold-Polythiophene Hybrid Particle Films. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:10538-10547. [PMID: 33290078 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c02831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Hybrid electronic materials combine inorganic metals and semiconductors with π-conjugated polymers. The orientation of the polymer molecules in relation to the inorganic components is crucial for electrical material properties and device performance, but little is known of the configuration of π-conjugated polymers that bind to inorganic surfaces. Highly curved surfaces are common when using nanoscale components, for example, metal nanocrystal cores covered with conductive polymers. It is important to understand their effect on molecular arrangement. Here, we compare the molecular structures and electrical conductivities of well-defined nanoscale gold spheres and rods with shells of the covalently bound polythiophene PTEBS (poly[2-(3-thienyl)-ethyloxy-4-butylsulfonate]). We prepared aqueous sinter-free inks from the particles and printed them. The particles formed highly conductive films immediately after drying. Films with spherical metal cores consistently had 40% lower conductivities than films based on nanorods. Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed differences in the gold-sulfur bonds of PTEBS on rods and spheres. The fractions of bond sulfur groups implied differences in the alignment of PTEBS with the surface. More polymer molecules were bound in an edge-on configuration on spheres than on rods, where almost all polymers aligned "face-on" with the metal surface. This leads to different interface resistances: gold-polythiophene-gold interfaces between rods with π-π-tacked face-on PTEBS apparently foster electron transport along the surface-normal direction, while edge-on PTEBS does not. Molecular confinement thus increases the conductivity of hybrid inks based on highly curved nanostructures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indra K Backes
- INM-Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Campus D2 2, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | | | - Anne Holtsch
- Experimental Physics and Center for Biophysics, Campus E2 9, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Frank Müller
- Experimental Physics and Center for Biophysics, Campus E2 9, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Karin Jacobs
- Experimental Physics and Center for Biophysics, Campus E2 9, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Tobias Kraus
- INM-Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Campus D2 2, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Saarland University, Campus D2 2, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
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14
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Tsourtou FD, Peristeras LD, Apostolov R, Mavrantzas VG. Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Amorphous Poly(3-hexylthiophene). Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c00454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Flora D. Tsourtou
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras & FORTH-ICE/HT, GR 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Loukas D. Peristeras
- Molecular Thermodynamics and Modelling of Materials Laboratory, Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, GR-15310 Agia Paraskevi
Attikis, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Vlasis G. Mavrantzas
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras & FORTH-ICE/HT, GR 26504 Patras, Greece
- Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Particle Technology Laboratory, ETH Zürich, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland
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15
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Galuska LA, McNutt WW, Qian Z, Zhang S, Weller DW, Dhakal S, King ER, Morgan SE, Azoulay JD, Mei J, Gu X. Impact of Backbone Rigidity on the Thermomechanical Properties of Semiconducting Polymers with Conjugation Break Spacers. Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c00889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luke A. Galuska
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - William W. McNutt
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Zhiyuan Qian
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Song Zhang
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Daniel W. Weller
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Sujata Dhakal
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Eric R. King
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Sarah E. Morgan
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Jason D. Azoulay
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Jianguo Mei
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Xiaodan Gu
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
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16
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17
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Kim HJ, Kim JS, Kim Y, Jung YS, Kim BJ, Kim Y. Regioregularity controlled phase behavior for Poly(3-hexylthiophene): A combined study of simple coarse-grained simulation and experiment. POLYMER 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2019.121569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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18
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Lee I, Rolston N, Brunner PL, Dauskardt RH. Hole-Transport Layer Molecular Weight and Doping Effects on Perovskite Solar Cell Efficiency and Mechanical Behavior. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:23757-23764. [PMID: 31184460 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b05567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The effect of tuning molecular weight ( Mn) in poly[bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine] (PTAA) to increase both mechanical properties of the film and electrical properties of perovskite solar cells is reported. Perovskite solar cell devices are fabricated to investigate the effect of Mn on power conversion efficiency. Moisture stability for various Mn is also studied in PTAA films exposed to mechanical loads in humid environments. Furthermore, cohesion and tensile tests are employed to determine the mechanical properties of PTAA, where higher Mn leads to more robust films. To elucidate the effect of Mn on the debonding kinetics, a viscoelastic fracture kinetic model is proposed as a function of Mn, and the debonding mechanism is found to be dependent on Mn. Finally, the effect of small-molecule-based dopants on the mechanical stability of PTAA is investigated.
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19
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Wolf CM, Kanekal KH, Yimer YY, Tyagi M, Omar-Diallo S, Pakhnyuk V, Luscombe CK, Pfaendtner J, Pozzo LD. Assessment of molecular dynamics simulations for amorphous poly(3-hexylthiophene) using neutron and X-ray scattering experiments. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:5067-5083. [PMID: 31183486 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm00807a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The molecular morphology and dynamics of conjugated polymers in the bulk solid state play a significant role in determining macroscopic charge transport properties. To understand this relationship, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and quantum mechanical calculations are used to evaluate local electronic properties. In this work, we investigate the importance of system and simulation parameters, such as force fields and equilibration methods, when simulating amorphous poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), a model semiconducting polymer. An assessment of MD simulations for five different published P3HT force fields is made by comparing results to experimental wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and to a broad range of quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) data. Moreover, an in silico analysis of force field parameters reveals that atomic partial charges and torsion potentials along the backbone and side chains have the greatest impact on structure and dynamics related to charge transport mechanisms in P3HT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlyn M Wolf
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Box 351750, Seattle, Washington 98195-1750, USA.
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20
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Choi JY, Jin SW, Kim DM, Song IH, Nam KN, Park HJ, Chung CM. Enhancement of the Mechanical Properties of Polyimide Film by Microwave Irradiation. Polymers (Basel) 2019; 11:polym11030477. [PMID: 30960461 PMCID: PMC6473371 DOI: 10.3390/polym11030477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyimide films have conventionally been prepared by thermal imidization of poly(amic acid)s (PAAs). Here we report that the improvement of tensile strength while increasing (or maintaining) film flexibility of polyimide films was accomplished by simple microwave (MW) irradiation of the PAAs. This improvement in mechanical properties can be attributed to the increase in molecular weight of the polyimides by MW irradiation. Our results show that the mechanical properties of polyimide films can be improved by MW irradiation, which is a green approach that requires relatively low MW power, very short irradiation time, and no incorporation of any additional inorganic substance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju-Young Choi
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon-do 26493, Korea.
| | - Seung-Won Jin
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon-do 26493, Korea.
| | - Dong-Min Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon-do 26493, Korea.
| | - In-Ho Song
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon-do 26493, Korea.
| | - Kyeong-Nam Nam
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon-do 26493, Korea.
| | - Hyeong-Joo Park
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon-do 26493, Korea.
| | - Chan-Moon Chung
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon-do 26493, Korea.
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21
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Xie R, Aplan MP, Caggiano NJ, Weisen AR, Su T, Müller C, Segad M, Colby RH, Gomez ED. Local Chain Alignment via Nematic Ordering Reduces Chain Entanglement in Conjugated Polymers. Macromolecules 2018. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b01840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Renxuan Xie
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Melissa P. Aplan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Nicholas J. Caggiano
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Albree R. Weisen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Tang Su
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Christian Müller
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Mo Segad
- The Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Ralph H. Colby
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- The Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Enrique D. Gomez
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- The Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
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22
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Chen H, Su C, Shi G, Li X, Zhang X, Liu G, Wang D. Deformation Mechanism of Poly(3-alkylthiophene) Studied by in Situ X-ray Scattering and Texture Analysis. Macromolecules 2018. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b01223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Haiming Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Cui Su
- CAS Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guangyu Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaolu Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Clothing Materials R & D and Assessment, Beijing Engineering Research Center of Textile Nanofiber, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Xiuqin Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Clothing Materials R & D and Assessment, Beijing Engineering Research Center of Textile Nanofiber, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Guoming Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Dujin Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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23
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Balar N, O’Connor BT. Correlating Crack Onset Strain and Cohesive Fracture Energy in Polymer Semiconductor Films. Macromolecules 2017. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.7b01282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nrup Balar
- Department of Mechanical
and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Brendan T. O’Connor
- Department of Mechanical
and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
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24
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Oliveira EF, Lavarda FC. Design of diblock co-oligomers as low bandgap small molecules for organic solar cells. MOLECULAR SIMULATION 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/08927022.2017.1321759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eliezer Fernando Oliveira
- POSMAT – Graduate Program in Material Science and Technology, UNESP – Univ Estadual Paulista, Bauru, Brazil
| | - Francisco Carlos Lavarda
- POSMAT – Graduate Program in Material Science and Technology, UNESP – Univ Estadual Paulista, Bauru, Brazil
- DF-FC, UNESP – Univ Estadual Paulista, Bauru, Brazil
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25
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Root SE, Savagatrup S, Printz AD, Rodriquez D, Lipomi DJ. Mechanical Properties of Organic Semiconductors for Stretchable, Highly Flexible, and Mechanically Robust Electronics. Chem Rev 2017; 117:6467-6499. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.7b00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 465] [Impact Index Per Article: 66.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel E. Root
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, California 92093-0448, United States
| | - Suchol Savagatrup
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, California 92093-0448, United States
| | - Adam D. Printz
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, California 92093-0448, United States
| | - Daniel Rodriquez
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, California 92093-0448, United States
| | - Darren J. Lipomi
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, California 92093-0448, United States
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26
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Rodriquez D, Kim JH, Root SE, Fei Z, Boufflet P, Heeney M, Kim TS, Lipomi DJ. Comparison of Methods for Determining the Mechanical Properties of Semiconducting Polymer Films for Stretchable Electronics. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2017; 9:8855-8862. [PMID: 28220705 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b16115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes a comparison of two characterization techniques for determining the mechanical properties of thin-film organic semiconductors for applications in soft electronics. In the first method, the film is supported by water (film-on-water, FOW), and a stress-strain curve is obtained using a direct tensile test. In the second method, the film is supported by an elastomer (film-on-elastomer, FOE), and is subjected to three tests to reconstruct the key features of the stress-strain curve: the buckling test (tensile modulus), the onset of buckling (yield point), and the crack-onset strain (strain at fracture). The specimens used for the comparison are four poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) samples of increasing molecular weight (Mn = 15, 40, 63, and 80 kDa). The methods produced qualitatively similar results for mechanical properties including the tensile modulus, the yield point, and the strain at fracture. The agreement was not quantitative because of differences in mode of loading (tension vs compression), strain rate, and processing between the two methods. Experimental results are corroborated by coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, which lead to the conclusion that in low molecular weight samples (Mn = 15 kDa), fracture occurs by chain pullout. Conversely, in high molecular weight samples (Mn > 25 kDa), entanglements concentrate the stress to few chains; this concentration is consistent with chain scission as the dominant mode of fracture. Our results provide a basis for comparing mechanical properties that have been measured by these two techniques, and provide mechanistic insight into fracture modes in this class of materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Rodriquez
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California , San Diego 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, California 92093-0448, United States
| | - Jae-Han Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) , Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Samuel E Root
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California , San Diego 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, California 92093-0448, United States
| | - Zhuping Fei
- Department of Chemistry and Centre for Plastic Electronics, Imperial College London , Exhibition Rd, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Pierre Boufflet
- Department of Chemistry and Centre for Plastic Electronics, Imperial College London , Exhibition Rd, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Heeney
- Department of Chemistry and Centre for Plastic Electronics, Imperial College London , Exhibition Rd, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Taek-Soo Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) , Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Darren J Lipomi
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California , San Diego 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, California 92093-0448, United States
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27
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Jones ML, Jankowski E. Computationally connecting organic photovoltaic performance to atomistic arrangements and bulk morphology. MOLECULAR SIMULATION 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/08927022.2017.1296958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew L. Jones
- Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
| | - Eric Jankowski
- Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
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28
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Alessandri R, Uusitalo JJ, de Vries AH, Havenith RWA, Marrink SJ. Bulk Heterojunction Morphologies with Atomistic Resolution from Coarse-Grain Solvent Evaporation Simulations. J Am Chem Soc 2017; 139:3697-3705. [PMID: 28209056 PMCID: PMC5355903 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b11717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Control
over the morphology of the active layer of bulk heterojunction
(BHJ) organic solar cells is paramount to achieve high-efficiency
devices. However, no method currently available can predict morphologies
for a novel donor–acceptor blend. An approach which allows
reaching relevant length scales, retaining chemical specificity, and
mimicking experimental fabrication conditions, and which is suited
for high-throughput schemes has been proven challenging to find. Here,
we propose a method to generate atom-resolved morphologies of BHJs
which conforms to these requirements. Coarse-grain (CG) molecular
dynamics simulations are employed to simulate the large-scale morphological
organization during solution-processing. The use of CG models which
retain chemical specificity translates into a direct path to the rational
design of donor and acceptor compounds which differ only slightly
in chemical nature. Finally, the direct retrieval of fully atomistic
detail is possible through backmapping, opening the way for improved
quantum mechanical calculations addressing the charge separation mechanism.
The method is illustrated for the poly(3-hexyl-thiophene) (P3HT)–phenyl-C61-butyric
acid methyl ester (PCBM) mixture, and found to predict morphologies
in agreement with experimental data. The effect of drying rate, P3HT
molecular weight, and thermal annealing are investigated extensively,
resulting in trends mimicking experimental findings. The proposed
methodology can help reduce the parameter space which has to be explored
before obtaining optimal morphologies not only for BHJ solar cells
but also for any other solution-processed soft matter device.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Remco W A Havenith
- Ghent Quantum Chemistry Group, Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Ghent University , Krijgslaan 281 (S3), B-9000 Gent, Belgium
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29
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Ito T, Shimomura T, Miura T. Simulation Study of the Effect of the Side-Chain Structure on the Initial Nucleation Process of Polythiophene Derivatives. J Phys Chem B 2017; 121:1108-1117. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b10848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Taiki Ito
- Graduate
School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan
| | - Takeshi Shimomura
- Graduate
School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Miura
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan
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30
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Onorato J, Pakhnyuk V, Luscombe CK. Structure and design of polymers for durable, stretchable organic electronics. Polym J 2016. [DOI: 10.1038/pj.2016.76] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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31
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Oliveira EF, Lavarda FC. Reorganization energy for hole and electron transfer of poly(3-hexylthiophene) derivatives. POLYMER 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2016.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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32
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Root SE, Savagatrup S, Pais CJ, Arya G, Lipomi DJ. Predicting the Mechanical Properties of Organic Semiconductors Using Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Macromolecules 2016. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.6b00204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel E. Root
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, California 92093-0448, United States
| | - Suchol Savagatrup
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, California 92093-0448, United States
| | - Christopher J. Pais
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, California 92093-0448, United States
| | - Gaurav Arya
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, California 92093-0448, United States
| | - Darren J. Lipomi
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, California 92093-0448, United States
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33
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Oliveira EF, Lavarda FC. Copolymers with similar comonomers: Tuning frontier orbital energies for application in organic solar cells. POLYM ENG SCI 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/pen.24275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Eliezer Fernando Oliveira
- UNESP-Univ Estadual Paulista, POSMAT-Programa De Pós-Graduação Em Ciência E Tecnologia De Materiais; Bauru SP 17033-360 Brazil
| | - Francisco Carlos Lavarda
- UNESP-Univ Estadual Paulista, POSMAT-Programa De Pós-Graduação Em Ciência E Tecnologia De Materiais; Bauru SP 17033-360 Brazil
- Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências, UNESP-Univ Estadual Paulista; Bauru SP 17033-360 Brazil
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34
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Zhao B, Awartani O, O'Connor B, Zikry MA. Microstructural behavior and failure mechanisms of organic semicrystalline thin film blends. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/polb.23991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Bingxiao Zhao
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; North Carolina State University; Raleigh North Carolina 27695
| | - Omar Awartani
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; North Carolina State University; Raleigh North Carolina 27695
| | - Brendan O'Connor
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; North Carolina State University; Raleigh North Carolina 27695
| | - Mohammed A. Zikry
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; North Carolina State University; Raleigh North Carolina 27695
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35
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Tummala NR, Bruner C, Risko C, Brédas JL, Dauskardt RH. Molecular-Scale Understanding of Cohesion and Fracture in P3HT:Fullerene Blends. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2015; 7:9957-64. [PMID: 25895745 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5b02202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Quantifying cohesion and understanding fracture phenomena in thin-film electronic devices are necessary for improved materials design and processing criteria. For organic photovoltaics (OPVs), the cohesion of the photoactive layer portends its mechanical flexibility, reliability, and lifetime. Here, the molecular mechanism for the initiation of cohesive failure in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) OPV active layers derived from the semiconducting polymer poly(3-hexylthiophene) [P3HT] and two monosubstituted fullerenes is examined experimentally and through molecular-dynamics simulations. The results detail how, under identical conditions, cohesion significantly changes due to minor variations in the fullerene adduct functionality, an important materials consideration that needs to be taken into account across fields where soluble fullerene derivatives are used.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher Bruner
- ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California 94305-4034, United States
| | | | | | - Reinhold H Dauskardt
- ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California 94305-4034, United States
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