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Zhou Z, Luo N, Cui T, Luo L, Pu M, Wang Y, He F, Jia C, Shao X, Zhang HL, Liu Z. Pre-Endcapping of Hyperbranched Polymers toward Intrinsically Stretchable Semiconductors with Good Ductility and Carrier Mobility. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2313312. [PMID: 38318963 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202313312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
The advancement of semiconducting polymers stands as a pivotal milestone in the quest to realize wearable electronics. Nonetheless, endowing semiconductor polymers with stretchability without compromising their carrier mobility remains a formidable challenge. This study proposes a "pre-endcapping" strategy for synthesizing hyperbranched semiconducting polymers (HBSPs), aiming to achieve the balance between carrier mobility and stretchability for organic electronics. The findings unveil that the aggregates formed by the endcapped hyperbranched network structure not only ensure efficient charge transport but also demonstrate superior tensile resistance. In comparison to linear conjugated polymers, HBSPs exhibit substantially larger crack onset strains and notably diminished tensile moduli. It is evident that the HBSPs surpass their linear counterparts in terms of both their semiconducting and mechanical properties. Among HBSPs, HBSP-72h-2.5 stands out as the preeminent candidate within the field of inherently stretchable semiconducting polymers, maintaining 93% of its initial mobility even when subjected to 100% strain (1.41 ± 0.206 cm2 V-1 s-1). Furthermore, thin film devices of HBSP-72h-2.5 remain stable after undergoing repeated stretching and releasing cycles. Notably, the mobilities are independent of the stretching directions, showing isotropic charge transport behavior. The preliminary study makes this "pre-endcapping" strategy a potential candidate for the future design of organic materials for flexible electronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoqiong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), Key Laboratory of Special Function Materials and Structure Design, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Nan Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), Key Laboratory of Special Function Materials and Structure Design, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Tianqiang Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), Key Laboratory of Special Function Materials and Structure Design, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Liang Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), Key Laboratory of Special Function Materials and Structure Design, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Mingrui Pu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Shenzhen Grubbs Institute and Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Ying Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), Key Laboratory of Special Function Materials and Structure Design, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Feng He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Shenzhen Grubbs Institute and Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Chunyang Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, China
| | - Xiangfeng Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), Key Laboratory of Special Function Materials and Structure Design, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Hao-Li Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), Key Laboratory of Special Function Materials and Structure Design, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Zitong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), Key Laboratory of Special Function Materials and Structure Design, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
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2
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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: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [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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3
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Mariello M, Kim K, Wu K, Lacour SP, Leterrier Y. Recent Advances in Encapsulation of Flexible Bioelectronic Implants: Materials, Technologies, and Characterization Methods. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2201129. [PMID: 35353928 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202201129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Bioelectronic implantable systems (BIS) targeting biomedical and clinical research should combine long-term performance and biointegration in vivo. Here, recent advances in novel encapsulations to protect flexible versions of such systems from the surrounding biological environment are reviewed, focusing on material strategies and synthesis techniques. Considerable effort is put on thin-film encapsulation (TFE), and specifically organic-inorganic multilayer architectures as a flexible and conformal alternative to conventional rigid cans. TFE is in direct contact with the biological medium and thus must exhibit not only biocompatibility, inertness, and hermeticity but also mechanical robustness, conformability, and compatibility with the manufacturing of microfabricated devices. Quantitative characterization methods of the barrier and mechanical performance of the TFE are reviewed with a particular emphasis on water-vapor transmission rate through electrical, optical, or electrochemical principles. The integrability and functionalization of TFE into functional bioelectronic interfaces are also discussed. TFE represents a must-have component for the next-generation bioelectronic implants with diagnostic or therapeutic functions in human healthcare and precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Mariello
- Laboratory for Processing of Advanced Composites (LPAC), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Kyungjin Kim
- Bertarelli Foundation Chair in Neuroprosthetic Technology, Laboratory for Soft Bioelectronic Interfaces, Institute of Electrical and MicroEngineering, Institute of Bioengineering, Centre for Neuroprosthetics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Kangling Wu
- Bertarelli Foundation Chair in Neuroprosthetic Technology, Laboratory for Soft Bioelectronic Interfaces, Institute of Electrical and MicroEngineering, Institute of Bioengineering, Centre for Neuroprosthetics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Stéphanie P Lacour
- Bertarelli Foundation Chair in Neuroprosthetic Technology, Laboratory for Soft Bioelectronic Interfaces, Institute of Electrical and MicroEngineering, Institute of Bioengineering, Centre for Neuroprosthetics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Yves Leterrier
- Laboratory for Processing of Advanced Composites (LPAC), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland
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4
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Ma BS, Lee JW, Park H, Kim BJ, Kim TS. Thermomechanical Behavior of Poly(3-hexylthiophene) Thin Films on the Water Surface. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:19706-19713. [PMID: 35721964 PMCID: PMC9202286 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c01451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The thermomechanical behavior of a conjugated polymer (CP) in a thin film state has rarely been studied despite the importance of understanding the polymer morphologies and optimizing the thermal processes of organic semiconductors. Moreover, the seamless integration of multilayers without mechanical failures in CP-based electronic devices is crucial for determining their operational stability. Large differences in the coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) between the multilayers can cause serious degradation of devices under thermal stress. In this study, we measure the intrinsic thermomechanical properties of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) thin films in a pseudo-freestanding state on the water surface. The as-cast P3HT thin films exhibited a large thermal shrinkage (-1001 ppm K-1) during heating on the water surface. Morphological analyses revealed that the thermal shrinkage of the polymer films was caused by the rearrangement of the polymer chain networks accompanied by crystallization, thus indicating that preheating the polymer films is essential for estimating their intrinsic CTE values. Moreover, the rigidity of the substrate significantly influences the thermomechanical behavior of the polymer films. The polymer films that were preheated on the glass substrate showed nonlinear thermal expansion due to the substrate constraint inhibiting sufficient relaxation of the polymer chains. In comparison, a linear expansion behavior is observed after preheating the films on the water surface, exhibiting a consistent CTE value (185 ppm K-1) regardless of the number of thermal strain measurements. Thus, this work provides a direct method for measuring in-plane CTE values and an in-depth understanding of the thermomechanical behaviors of CP thin films to design thermomechanically reliable organic semiconductors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boo Soo Ma
- Department
of Mechanical 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
| | - Hyeonjung Park
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular 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
| | - Taek-Soo Kim
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced
Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
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5
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Huang G, Wu N, Wang X, Zhang G, Qiu L. Role of Molecular Weight in the Mechanical Properties and Charge Transport of Conjugated Polymers Containing Siloxane Side Chains. Macromol Rapid Commun 2022; 43:e2200149. [PMID: 35592913 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202200149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The molecular weight is a key factor affecting the properties of conjugated polymers. To determine the critical molecular weights of conjugated polymers modified with siloxane side chains, poly-diketo-pyrrolopyrrole-selenophene (PTDPPSe-5Si) samples with molecular weights ranging from 20 to 350 kDa are synthesized. The critical molecular weight of the polymer is determined in the range of 60-100 kDa by testing the viscosity of the solution. When the molecular weight of the 27-60 kDa polymers is below the critical molecular weight, they exhibit a high crystallinity and low ductility. When the molecular weight of the 100 kDa polymer reaches the critical molecular weight, the crystallinity decreases, and the ductility increases. As the molecular weight increases, the polymer film also gradually changes from brittle to ductile. Furthermore, when the molecular weight of the 315 kDa polymer is much higher than the critical molecular weight, the film exhibits a significant ductility, which results in the polymer films showing no pronounced cracks after high-percentage stretching. Additionally, due to the oriented alignment of the molecular chains caused by stretching, the carrier mobility in the parallel direction becomes 2.14-fold of the initial film.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Huang
- National Engineering Lab of Special Display Technology, Special Display and Imaging Technology Innovation Center of Anhui Province, Academy of Opto-Electronic Technology, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Ning Wu
- National Engineering Lab of Special Display Technology, Special Display and Imaging Technology Innovation Center of Anhui Province, Academy of Opto-Electronic Technology, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Xiaohong Wang
- National Engineering Lab of Special Display Technology, Special Display and Imaging Technology Innovation Center of Anhui Province, Academy of Opto-Electronic Technology, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Guobing Zhang
- National Engineering Lab of Special Display Technology, Special Display and Imaging Technology Innovation Center of Anhui Province, Academy of Opto-Electronic Technology, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Longzhen Qiu
- National Engineering Lab of Special Display Technology, Special Display and Imaging Technology Innovation Center of Anhui Province, Academy of Opto-Electronic Technology, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China.,Intelligent Interconnected Systems Laboratory of Anhui, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Measuring Theory and Precision Instrument, School of Instrument Science and Opto-Electronic Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
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6
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Lee S, Guo LJ. Bioinspired Toughening Mechanisms in a Multilayer Transparent Conductor Structure. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:7440-7449. [PMID: 35080866 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c21923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
With increasing demands and interest in flexible and foldable devices, much effort has been devoted to the development of flexible transparent electrodes. An in-depth understanding of failure mechanisms in nanoscale structure is crucial in developing stable, flexible electronics with long-term durability. The present work investigated the mechanoelectric characteristics of transparent conductive electrodes in the form of dielectric/metal/dielectric (DMD) sandwich structures under bending, including one time and repeated cyclic bending test, and provides an explanation of their failure mechanism. We demonstrate how a thin metallic layer helps to enhance the mechanical robustness of the DMD as compared with that without, tune the mechanical properties of the cohesive layer, and improve the electrode fracture resistance. Abnormal crack propagation and toughening of multilayer DMD structures are analyzed, and its underlying mechanisms are explained. We consider the knowledge of the failure mechanisms of transparent conductive electrodes gained from the present study as a foundation for future design improvements.
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7
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Liu D, Mun J, Chen G, Schuster NJ, Wang W, Zheng Y, Nikzad S, Lai JC, Wu Y, Zhong D, Lin Y, Lei Y, Chen Y, Gam S, Chung JW, Yun Y, Tok JBH, Bao Z. A Design Strategy for Intrinsically Stretchable High-Performance Polymer Semiconductors: Incorporating Conjugated Rigid Fused-Rings with Bulky Side Groups. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:11679-11689. [PMID: 34284578 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c04984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Strategies to improve stretchability of polymer semiconductors, such as introducing flexible conjugation-breakers or adding flexible blocks, usually result in degraded electrical properties. In this work, we propose a concept to address this limitation, by introducing conjugated rigid fused-rings with optimized bulky side groups and maintaining a conjugated polymer backbone. Specifically, we investigated two classes of rigid fused-ring systems, namely, benzene-substituted dibenzothiopheno[6,5-b:6',5'-f]thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (Ph-DBTTT) and indacenodithiophene (IDT) systems, and identified molecules displaying optimized electrical and mechanical properties. In the IDT system, the polymer PIDT-3T-OC12-10% showed promising electrical and mechanical properties. In fully stretchable transistors, the polymer PIDT-3T-OC12-10% showed a mobility of 0.27 cm2 V-1 s-1 at 75% strain and maintained its mobility after being subjected to hundreds of stretching-releasing cycles at 25% strain. Our results underscore the intimate correlation between chemical structures, mechanical properties, and charge carrier mobility for polymer semiconductors. Our described molecular design approach will help to expedite the next generation of intrinsically stretchable high-performance polymer semiconductors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deyu Liu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Jaewan Mun
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Gan Chen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Nathaniel J Schuster
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Weichen Wang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Yu Zheng
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Shayla Nikzad
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Jian-Cheng Lai
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Yilei Wu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Donglai Zhong
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Yangju Lin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Yusheng Lei
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Yuelang Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Sangah Gam
- Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, Samsung Electronics, Suwon 16678, South Korea
| | - Jong Won Chung
- Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, Samsung Electronics, Suwon 16678, South Korea
| | - Youngjun Yun
- Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, Samsung Electronics, Suwon 16678, South Korea
| | - Jeffrey B-H Tok
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Zhenan Bao
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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8
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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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9
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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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10
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Yoon S, Lee KJ, Park S, Kim T, Im SH, Ahn H, Son HJ. Development of a Healable Bulk Heterojunction Using Conjugated Donor Polymers Based on Thymine-Functionalized Side Chains. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Seongwon Yoon
- Advanced Photovoltaics Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Keun Jun Lee
- Advanced Photovoltaics Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungmin Park
- Advanced Photovoltaics Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Taehee Kim
- Advanced Photovoltaics Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Hyuk Im
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyungju Ahn
- Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae Jung Son
- Advanced Photovoltaics Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
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11
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Ghasemi M, Balar N, Peng Z, Hu H, Qin Y, Kim T, Rech JJ, Bidwell M, Mask W, McCulloch I, You W, Amassian A, Risko C, O'Connor BT, Ade H. A molecular interaction-diffusion framework for predicting organic solar cell stability. NATURE MATERIALS 2021; 20:525-532. [PMID: 33432145 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-020-00872-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Rapid increase in the power conversion efficiency of organic solar cells (OSCs) has been achieved with the development of non-fullerene small-molecule acceptors (NF-SMAs). Although the morphological stability of these NF-SMA devices critically affects their intrinsic lifetime, their fundamental intermolecular interactions and how they govern property-function relations and morphological stability of OSCs remain elusive. Here, we discover that the diffusion of an NF-SMA into the donor polymer exhibits Arrhenius behaviour and that the activation energy Ea scales linearly with the enthalpic interaction parameters χH between the polymer and the NF-SMA. Consequently, the thermodynamically most unstable, hypo-miscible systems (high χ) are the most kinetically stabilized. We relate the differences in Ea to measured and selectively simulated molecular self-interaction properties of the constituent materials and develop quantitative property-function relations that link thermal and mechanical characteristics of the NF-SMA and polymer to predict relative diffusion properties and thus morphological stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoud Ghasemi
- Department of Physics and Organic and Carbon Electronics Laboratories (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Organic and Carbon Electronics Laboratories (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Nrup Balar
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Organic and Carbon Electronics Laboratories (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Zhengxing Peng
- Department of Physics and Organic and Carbon Electronics Laboratories (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Huawei Hu
- Department of Physics and Organic and Carbon Electronics Laboratories (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Yunpeng Qin
- Department of Physics and Organic and Carbon Electronics Laboratories (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Taesoo Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Organic and Carbon Electronics Laboratories (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Jeromy J Rech
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Matthew Bidwell
- Department of Chemistry and Centre for Plastic Electronics, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Walker Mask
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Applied Energy Research, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Iain McCulloch
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), KAUST Solar Center, Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Wei You
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Aram Amassian
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Organic and Carbon Electronics Laboratories (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Chad Risko
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Applied Energy Research, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Brendan T O'Connor
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Organic and Carbon Electronics Laboratories (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
| | - Harald Ade
- Department of Physics and Organic and Carbon Electronics Laboratories (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
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12
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Prete M, Ogliani E, Bregnhøj M, Lissau JS, Dastidar S, Rubahn HG, Engmann S, Skov AL, Brook MA, Ogilby PR, Printz A, Turkovic V, Madsen M. Synergistic effect of carotenoid and silicone-based additives for photooxidatively stable organic solar cells with enhanced elasticity. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY. C 2021; 35:10.1039/D1TC01544C. [PMID: 37056473 PMCID: PMC10091296 DOI: 10.1039/d1tc01544c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Photochemical and mechanical stability are critical in the production and application of organic solar cells. While these factors can individually be improved using different additives, there is no example of studies on the combined effects of such additive-assisted stabilization. In this study, the properties of PTB7:[70]PCBM organic solar cells are studied upon implementation of two additives: the carotenoid astaxanthin (AX) for photochemical stability and the silicone polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) for improved mechanical properties. A newly designed additive, AXcPDMS, based on astaxanthin covalently bonded to PDMS was also examined. Lifetime tests, produced in ISOS-L-2 conditions, reveal an improvement in the accumulated power generation (APG) of 10% with pure AX, of 90% when AX is paired with PDMS, and of 140% when AXcPDMS is added in the active layer blend, as compared to the control devices. Singlet oxygen phosphorescence measurements are utilized to study the ability of AX and AXcPDMS to quench singlet oxygen and its precursors in the films. The data are consistent with the strong stabilization effect of the carotenoids. While AX and AXcPDMS are both efficient photochemical stabilizers, the improvement in device stability observed in the presence of AXcPDMS is likely due to a more favorable localization of the stabilizer within the blend. The mechanical properties of the active layers were investigated by tensile testing and cohesive fracture measurements, showing a joint improvement of the photooxidative stability and the mechanical properties, thus yielding organic solar cell devices that are promising for flexible photovoltaic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Prete
- SDU NanoSYD, Mads Clausen Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Alsion 2, 6400 Sønderborg, Denmark
| | - Elisa Ogliani
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Mikkel Bregnhøj
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jonas Sandby Lissau
- SDU NanoSYD, Mads Clausen Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Alsion 2, 6400 Sønderborg, Denmark
| | - Subham Dastidar
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, The University of Arizona, 1133 E. James E. Rogers, Tucson, Arizona, 85721, USA
| | - Horst-Günter Rubahn
- SDU NanoSYD, Mads Clausen Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Alsion 2, 6400 Sønderborg, Denmark
| | - Sebastian Engmann
- Nanoscale Device Characterization Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20899, USA
- Theiss Research, La Jolla, California, 92037, USA
| | - Anne Ladegaard Skov
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Michael A Brook
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1, Canada
| | - Peter R Ogilby
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Adam Printz
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, The University of Arizona, 1133 E. James E. Rogers, Tucson, Arizona, 85721, USA
| | - Vida Turkovic
- SDU NanoSYD, Mads Clausen Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Alsion 2, 6400 Sønderborg, Denmark
| | - Morten Madsen
- SDU NanoSYD, Mads Clausen Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Alsion 2, 6400 Sønderborg, Denmark
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13
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Sommerville PJW, Li Y, Dong BX, Zhang Y, Onorato JW, Tatum WK, Balzer AH, Stingelin N, Patel SN, Nealey PF, Luscombe CK. Elucidating the Influence of Side-Chain Circular Distribution on the Crack Onset Strain and Hole Mobility of Near-Amorphous Indacenodithiophene Copolymers. Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c00512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Yilin Li
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Ban Xuan Dong
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Yongcao Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Jonathan W. Onorato
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Wesley K. Tatum
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Alex H. Balzer
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 303332, United States
| | - Natalie Stingelin
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 303332, United States
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 303332, United States
| | - Shrayesh N. Patel
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Paul F. Nealey
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Chemical Science and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Christine K. Luscombe
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
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14
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Niemelä JP, Rohbeck N, Michler J, Utke I. Molecular layer deposited alucone thin films from long-chain organic precursors: from brittle to ductile mechanical characteristics. Dalton Trans 2020; 49:10832-10838. [PMID: 32700705 DOI: 10.1039/d0dt02210a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Molecular layer deposition (MLD) is a strongly emerging thin-film technique for deposition of ultra-thin inorganic-organic hybrid ("metalcone") coatings directly from the gas phase, even on complex three-dimensional surfaces. In particular alucones (Al-based hybrids) have been found interesting e.g. for Li-ion battery and gas-barrier applications owing to the promise for enhanced mechanical performance provided by the organic fragments in the materials' structure. However, the metalcones based on short/small organic fragments are relatively brittle from the mechanical perspective. Here, we demonstrate an efficient approach for tailoring mechanical properties of MLD-fabricated hybrid inorganic-organic thin films through control over the organic precursor chain length. The proof-of-concept data is presented for alucones prepared using trimethyl aluminum together with 1,6-hexanediol or 1,10-decanediol as the precursors. Tensile testing coupled with in situ optical microscopy reveals a gradual increase in stretchability with the increasing chain length, such that the crack onset strain value of 9.9 ± 0.2% is obtained for the 1,10-decanediol-based 100 nm-thick film. Through the demonstration of substantially suppressed crack propagation-as a sign of brittle-to-ductile transition-and the decrease in the elastic modulus value down to 4.6 ± 2.1 GPa, the mechanical performance of the alucone family is extended to the polymeric regime. The substantial increase in the mechanical performance within the metalcone material family makes the results particularly interesting for high-capacity high-volume-change battery electrodes requiring mechanically highly robust coatings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janne-Petteri Niemelä
- Laboratory for Mechanics of Materials and Nanostructures, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Feuerwerkerstrasse 39, Thun CH-3602, Switzerland.
| | - Nadia Rohbeck
- Laboratory for Mechanics of Materials and Nanostructures, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Feuerwerkerstrasse 39, Thun CH-3602, Switzerland.
| | - Johann Michler
- Laboratory for Mechanics of Materials and Nanostructures, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Feuerwerkerstrasse 39, Thun CH-3602, Switzerland.
| | - Ivo Utke
- Laboratory for Mechanics of Materials and Nanostructures, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Feuerwerkerstrasse 39, Thun CH-3602, Switzerland.
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15
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Pei D, Wang Z, Peng Z, Zhang J, Deng Y, Han Y, Ye L, Geng Y. Impact of Molecular Weight on the Mechanical and Electrical Properties of a High-Mobility Diketopyrrolopyrrole-Based Conjugated Polymer. Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c00209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Pei
- School of Materials Science & Engineering and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Zhongli Wang
- School of Materials Science & Engineering and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Zhongxiang Peng
- School of Materials Science & Engineering and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Jidong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China
| | - Yunfeng Deng
- School of Materials Science & Engineering and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Yang Han
- School of Materials Science & Engineering and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Long Ye
- School of Materials Science & Engineering and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Yanhou Geng
- School of Materials Science & Engineering and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
- Joint School of National University of Singapore and Tianjin University, International Campus of Tianjin University, Binhai New City, Fuzhou 350207, P. R. China
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16
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Pakhnyuk V, Onorato JW, Steiner EJ, Cohen TA, Luscombe CK. Enhanced miscibility and strain resistance of blended elastomer/π‐conjugated polymer composites through side chain functionalization towards stretchable electronics. POLYM INT 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/pi.5954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jonathan W Onorato
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering University of Washington Seattle WA USA
| | - Emily J Steiner
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering University of Washington Seattle WA USA
| | - Theodore A Cohen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering University of Washington Seattle WA USA
- Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute University of Washington Seattle WA USA
| | - Christine K Luscombe
- Department of Chemistry University of Washington Seattle WA USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering University of Washington Seattle WA USA
- Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute University of Washington Seattle WA USA
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17
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Son H, Chau AL, Davis CS. Polymer thin film adhesion utilizing the transition from surface wrinkling to delamination. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:6375-6382. [PMID: 31305851 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm01052a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the adhesion of rigid thin films to compliant substrates is critical for the development and implementation of flexible electronic devices and wearable sensor technologies. Quantifying the strength of a film-substrate interface can be challenging due to the brittleness of glassy films which can greatly complicate sample preparation, handling, and testing. Here, a method for measuring the adhesion of glassy thin films to soft elastomeric substrates is explored that exploits an understanding of surface buckling instabilities, specifically the transition from wrinkling to delamination. The adhesion (given by the critical strain energy release rate (Gc)) for two model materials' interfaces is quantified by determining the critical delamination strain for thin glassy polymer films (polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)) from an elastomeric substrate (poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS)). By accounting for edge defects that greatly reduce the critical strain for delamination, reasonable adjusted Gc values of 21.0 ± 5.1 mJ m-2 and 32.2 ± 4.9 mJ m-2 are found for PS-PDMS and PMMA-PDMS interfaces, respectively. The utilization of this method to characterize film modulus and adhesion could be used as a facile measurement technique for more applied polymer thin film systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeyoung Son
- School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, USA.
| | - Allison L Chau
- School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, USA.
| | - Chelsea S Davis
- School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, USA.
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18
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Hu H, Ye L, Ghasemi M, Balar N, Rech JJ, Stuard SJ, You W, O'Connor BT, Ade H. Highly Efficient, Stable, and Ductile Ternary Nonfullerene Organic Solar Cells from a Two-Donor Polymer Blend. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2019; 31:e1808279. [PMID: 30882967 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201808279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Organic solar cells (OSCs) are one of the most promising cost-effective options for utilizing solar energy, and, while the field of OSCs has progressed rapidly in device performance in the past few years, the stability of nonfullerene OSCs has received less attention. Developing devices with both high performance and long-term stability remains challenging, particularly if the material choice is restricted by roll-to-roll and benign solvent processing requirements and desirable mechanical durability. Building upon the ink (toluene:FTAZ:IT-M) that broke the 10% benchmark when blade-coated in air, a second donor material (PBDB-T) is introduced to stabilize and enhance performance with power conversion efficiency over 13% while keeping toluene as the solvent. More importantly, the ternary OSCs exhibit excellent thermal stability and storage stability while retaining high ductility. The excellent performance and stability are mainly attributed to the inhibition of the crystallization of nonfullerene small-molecular acceptors (SMAs) by introducing a stiff donor that also shows low miscibility with the nonfullerene SMA and a slightly higher highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) than the host polymer. The study indicates that improved stability and performance can be achieved in a synergistic way without significant embrittlement, which will accelerate the future development and application of nonfullerene OSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huawei Hu
- Department of Physics and ORganic and Carbon Electronics Labs (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Long Ye
- Department of Physics and ORganic and Carbon Electronics Labs (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Masoud Ghasemi
- Department of Physics and ORganic and Carbon Electronics Labs (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Nrup Balar
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and ORaCEL, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Jeromy James Rech
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Samuel J Stuard
- Department of Physics and ORganic and Carbon Electronics Labs (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Wei You
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Brendan T O'Connor
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and ORaCEL, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Harald Ade
- Department of Physics and ORganic and Carbon Electronics Labs (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
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19
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Sun T, Song R, Balar N, Sen P, Kline RJ, O'Connor BT. Impact of Substrate Characteristics on Stretchable Polymer Semiconductor Behavior. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:3280-3289. [PMID: 30592202 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b16457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Stretchable conductive polymer films are required to survive not only large tensile strain but also stay functional after the reduction in applied strain. In the deformation process, the elastomer substrate that is typically employed plays a critical role in response to the polymer film. In this study, we examine the role of a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer substrate on the ability to achieve stretchable PDPP-4T films. In particular, we consider the adhesion and near-surface modulus of the PDMS tuned through UV/ozone (UVO) treatment on the competition between film wrinkling and plastic deformation. We also consider the role of PDMS tension on the stability of films under cyclic strain. We find that increasing the near-surface modulus of the PDMS and maintaining the PDMS in tension throughout the cyclic strain process promote plastic deformation over film wrinkling. In addition, the UVO treatment increases film adhesion to the PDMS resulting in a significantly reduced film folding and delamination. For a 20 min UVO-treated PDMS, we show that a PDPP-4T film root-mean-square roughness is consistently below 3 nm for up to 100 strain cycles with a strain range of 40%. In addition, although the film is plastically deforming, the microstructural order is largely stable as probed by grazing incidence X-ray scattering and UV-visible spectroscopy. These results highlight the importance of neighboring elastomer characteristics on the ability to achieve stretchable polymer semiconductors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianlei Sun
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering , North Carolina State University , Raleigh , North Carolina 27695 , United States
| | - Runqiao Song
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering , North Carolina State University , Raleigh , North Carolina 27695 , United States
| | - Nrup Balar
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering , North Carolina State University , Raleigh , North Carolina 27695 , United States
| | - Pratik Sen
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering , North Carolina State University , Raleigh , North Carolina 27695 , United States
| | - R Joseph Kline
- Materials Science and Engineering Division , National Institute of Standards and Technology , Gaithersburg , Maryland 20899 , 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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20
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Melenbrink EL, Hilby KM, Alkhadra MA, Samal S, Lipomi DJ, Thompson BC. Influence of Systematic Incorporation of Conjugation-Break Spacers into Semi-Random Polymers on Mechanical and Electronic Properties. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2018; 10:32426-32434. [PMID: 30180546 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b10608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
An extensive family of semi-random polymers was prepared via Stille polycondensation with varying contents of alkyl spacers incorporated into the polymer backbone to serve as a break in conjugation. This family was investigated to determine the effect of alkyl spacer length and percent incorporation on the optical, electronic, and mechanical properties. The optical bandgap was found to steadily increase from 1.53 to 1.70 eV as the amount of spacer was increased from 10 mol percent to 40 mol percent while the length of the spacer had little to no effect. In space charge limited current (SCLC) carrier mobility measurements, hole mobility was found to decrease as the amount of spacer increased but was found to steadily increase as the length of the spacer was increased from 6 to 10 carbons. Mechanical properties were observed by film-on-elastomer and film-on-water measurements, with low elastic moduli and high ductility attributed both to the break in conjugation as well as the semi-random structure of the polymer backbone. Measurements of the mechanical properties using the buckling method revealed elastic moduli between 0.14 and 1.3 GPa, and several polymers, when bonded to an elastomeric substrate, could be stretched beyond 80% strain. These polymers were further tested as free-standing films by obtaining a pull test on the surface of water, where we obtained tensile moduli between 0.13 and 0.75 GPa. These results indicate that semi-random polymers with conjugation-break spacers are promising candidates for further study in flexible electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth L Melenbrink
- Department of Chemistry and Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute , University of Southern California , Los Angeles , California 90089-1661 , United States
| | - Kristan M Hilby
- Department of NanoEngineering , University of California, San Diego , 9500 Gilman Drive , Mail Code 0448, La Jolla , California 92093-0448 , United States
| | - Mohammad A Alkhadra
- Department of NanoEngineering , University of California, San Diego , 9500 Gilman Drive , Mail Code 0448, La Jolla , California 92093-0448 , United States
| | - Sanket Samal
- Department of Chemistry and Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute , University of Southern California , Los Angeles , California 90089-1661 , 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
| | - Barry C Thompson
- Department of Chemistry and Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute , University of Southern California , Los Angeles , California 90089-1661 , United States
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21
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Sugiyama F, Kleinschmidt AT, Kayser LV, Rodriquez D, Finn M, Alkhadra MA, Wan JMH, Ramírez J, Chiang ASC, Root SE, Savagatrup S, Lipomi DJ. Effects of flexibility and branching of side chains on the mechanical properties of low-bandgap conjugated polymers. Polym Chem 2018; 9:4354-4363. [PMID: 30873221 PMCID: PMC6411084 DOI: 10.1039/c8py00820e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
This paper describes effects of the flexibility, length, and branching of side chains on the mechanical properties of low-bandgap semiconducting polymers. The backbones of the polymer chains comprise a diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) motif flanked by two furan rings and copolymerized by Stille polycondensation with thiophene (DPP2FT). The side chains of the DPP fall into three categories: linear alkyl (C8, C14, or C16), branched alkyl (ethylhexyl, EH, or hexyldecyl, HD), and linear oligo(ethylene oxide) (EO3, EO4, or EO5). Polymers bearing C8 and C14 side chains are obtained in low yields and thus not pursued. Thermal, mechanical, and electronic properties are plotted against the number of carbon and oxygen atoms in the side chain. We obtain consistent trends in the thermal and mechanical properties for branched alkyl and linear oligo(ethylene oxide) side chains. For example, the glass transition temperature (T g) and elastic modulus decrease with increasing number of carbon and oxygen atoms, whereas the crack-onset strain increases. Among polymers with side chains of 16 carbon and oxygen atoms (C16, HD, and EO5), C16 exhibits the highest T g and the greatest susceptibility to fracture. Hole mobility, as measured in thin-film transistors, appears to be a poor predictor of electronic performance for polymers blended with [60]PCBM in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. For example, while EO3 and EO4 exhibit the lowest mobilities (< 10-2 cm2 V-1 s-1) in thin-film transistors, solar cells made using these materials performed the best (efficiency > 2.6%) in unoptimized devices. Conversely, C16 exhibits the highest mobility (≈ 0.2 cm2 V-1 s-1) but produces poor solar cells (efficiency < 0.01%). We attribute the lack of correlation between mobility and power conversion efficiency to unfavorable morphology in the BHJ solar cells. Given the desirable properties measured for EO3 and EO4, the use of flexible oligo(ethylene oxide) side chains is a successful strategy to impart mechanical deformability to organic solar cells, without sacrificing electronic performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumitaka Sugiyama
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, CA 92093-0448
- JSR Corporation, 1-9-2, Higashi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8640, Japan
| | - Andrew T. Kleinschmidt
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, CA 92093-0448
| | - Laure V. Kayser
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, CA 92093-0448
| | - Daniel Rodriquez
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, CA 92093-0448
| | - Mickey Finn
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, CA 92093-0448
| | - Mohammad A. Alkhadra
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, CA 92093-0448
| | - Jeremy M.-H. Wan
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, CA 92093-0448
| | - Julian Ramírez
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, CA 92093-0448
| | - Andrew S.-C. Chiang
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, CA 92093-0448
| | - Samuel E. Root
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, CA 92093-0448
| | - Suchol Savagatrup
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, CA 92093-0448
| | - Darren J. Lipomi
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0448, La Jolla, CA 92093-0448
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22
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Zhang S, Ocheje MU, Luo S, Ehlenberg D, Appleby B, Weller D, Zhou D, Rondeau‐Gagné S, Gu X. Probing the Viscoelastic Property of Pseudo Free‐Standing Conjugated Polymeric Thin Films. Macromol Rapid Commun 2018; 39:e1800092. [DOI: 10.1002/marc.201800092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Revised: 04/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Song Zhang
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering The University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg MS 39406 USA
| | - Michael U. Ocheje
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry University of Winsor Ontario N9B3P4 Canada
| | - Shaochuan Luo
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Nanjing University Nanjing 210093 China
| | - Dakota Ehlenberg
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering The University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg MS 39406 USA
| | - Benjamin Appleby
- School of Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering Oregon State University Corvallis OR 97331 USA
| | - Daniel Weller
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering The University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg MS 39406 USA
| | - Dongshan Zhou
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Nanjing University Nanjing 210093 China
| | - Simon Rondeau‐Gagné
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry University of Winsor Ontario N9B3P4 Canada
| | - Xiaodan Gu
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering The University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg MS 39406 USA
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23
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Balar N, Xiong Y, Ye L, Li S, Nevola D, Dougherty DB, Hou J, Ade H, O'Connor BT. Role of Polymer Segregation on the Mechanical Behavior of All-Polymer Solar Cell Active Layers. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2017; 9:43886-43892. [PMID: 29188708 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b13719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
An all-polymer bulk heterojunction (BHJ) active layer that removes the use of commonly used small molecule electron acceptors is a promising approach to improve the thermomechanical behavior of organic solar cells. However, there has been limited research on their mechanical properties. Here, we report on the mechanical behavior of high-performance blade-coated all-polymer BHJ films cast using eco-friendly solvents. The mechanical properties considered include the elastic modulus, crack onset strain, and cohesive fracture energy. We show that the mechanical behavior of the blend is largely unaffected by significant changes in the segregation characteristics of the polymers, which was varied systematically through solvent formulation. In comparison to a polymer:fullerene BHJ counterpart, the all-polymer films were found to have lower stiffness and increased ductility. Yet, the fracture energy of the all-polymer films is not significantly improved compared to that of the polymer:fullerene films. This study highlights that improved mechanical behavior of all-polymer systems cannot be assumed, and that details of the molecular structure, molecular weight, and film morphology play an important role in both the optoelectronic and mechanical properties. Furthermore, we show that simple composite modeling provides a predictive tool for the mechanical properties of the polymer blend films, providing a framework to guide future optimization of the mechanical behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Sunsun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | | | | | - Jianhui Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190, P. R. China
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