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de Lima BM, Hayes PL, Wood-Adams PM. Lamellar orientation at the surface of isotactic polystyrene thin films analyzed by sum frequency generation spectroscopy. Anal Chim Acta 2023; 1248:340904. [PMID: 36813456 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2023.340904] [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: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Analyzing the orientation of polymeric crystalline lamella at the surface of thin films can be challenging. Even though atomic force microscopy (AFM) is often sufficient for this analysis, there are cases when imaging is not sufficient to confidently determine lamellar orientation. Here, we used sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy to analyze the lamellar orientation at the surface of semi-crystalline isotactic polystyrene (iPS) thin films. The SFG orientation analysis indicated that the iPS chains are oriented perpendicular to the substrate (flat-on lamellar orientation), which was confirmed by AFM. By analyzing the evolution of the SFG spectral features with the progress of crystallization, we demonstrated that the ratios of the SFG intensities of the phenyl ring resonances are a good indication of the surface crystallinity. Furthermore, we explored the challenges associated with SFG measurements of heterogeneous surfaces, which is commonly present in many semi-crystalline polymeric films. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the surface lamellar orientation of semi-crystalline polymeric thin films was determined by SFG. Also, this work pioneers in reporting the surface conformation of semi-crystalline and amorphous iPS thin films by SFG and in linking the SFG intensity ratios to the progress of the crystallization and the surface crystallinity. This study demonstrates the potential applicability of SFG spectroscopy in the conformational analysis of polymeric crystalline structures at interfaces and opens the way to the investigation of more complex polymeric structures and crystalline arrangements, especially for the case of buried interfaces, where AFM imaging is not an option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca M de Lima
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Concordia University, 1435 Rue Guy, S-GM 900-13, Montréal, Québec, H3H 2L5, Canada
| | - Patrick L Hayes
- Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, 1375 Avenue Thérèse-Lavoie-Roux, Montréal, Québe, H2V 0B3, Canada.
| | - Paula M Wood-Adams
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Concordia University, 1435 Rue Guy, S-GM 900-13, Montréal, Québec, H3H 2L5, Canada.
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Wang X, Liu S, Ren C, Cao L, Zhang W, Wu T. Synthesis, Characterization, and Field-Effect Transistor Properties of Naphthalene Diimide-Based Conjugated Polymers with Fluorine-Containing Branched Side Chains. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01164] [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)
- Xuran Wang
- Laboratory of Optoelectronic and Information Marking Materials, Key Laboratory of Printing & Packaging Material and Technology, Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, Beijing 102600, P. R. China
| | - Shengzhen Liu
- Laboratory of Optoelectronic and Information Marking Materials, Key Laboratory of Printing & Packaging Material and Technology, Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, Beijing 102600, P. R. China
| | - Chunxing Ren
- Laboratory of Optoelectronic and Information Marking Materials, Key Laboratory of Printing & Packaging Material and Technology, Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, Beijing 102600, P. R. China
| | - Long Cao
- Laboratory of Optoelectronic and Information Marking Materials, Key Laboratory of Printing & Packaging Material and Technology, Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, Beijing 102600, P. R. China
| | - Weimin Zhang
- Laboratory of Optoelectronic and Information Marking Materials, Key Laboratory of Printing & Packaging Material and Technology, Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, Beijing 102600, P. R. China
| | - Ti Wu
- Laboratory of Optoelectronic and Information Marking Materials, Key Laboratory of Printing & Packaging Material and Technology, Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, Beijing 102600, P. R. China
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Gao M, Meng Y, Shen C, Pei Q. Stiffness Variable Polymers Comprising Phase-Changing Side-Chains: Material Syntheses and Application Explorations. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2109798. [PMID: 35119148 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202109798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Stiffness variable materials have been applied in a variety of engineering fields that require adaptation, automatic modulation, and morphing because of their unique property to switch between a rigid, load-bearing state and a soft, compliant state. Stiffness variable polymers comprising phase-changing side-chains (s-SVPs) have densely grafted, highly crystallizable long alkyl side-chains in a crosslinked network. Such a bottlebrush network-like structure gives rise to rigidity modulation as a result of the reversible crystallization and melting of the side chains. The corresponding modulus changes can be more than 1000-fold within a narrow temperature span, from ≈102 MPa to ≈102 kPa or lower. Other important properties of the s-SVP, such as stretchability, optical transmittance, and adhesion, can also be altered. This work reviews the underlying molecular mechanisms in the s-SVP's, discusses the material's structure-property relationship, and summarizes important applications explored so far, including reversible shape transformation, bistable electromechanical transduction, optical modulation, and reversible adhesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Gao
- Soft Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- College of Light Industry Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Yuan Meng
- Soft Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Claire Shen
- Soft Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Qibing Pei
- Soft Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
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Luo N, Ren P, Feng Y, Shao X, Zhang HL, Liu Z. Side-Chain Engineering of Conjugated Polymers for High-Performance Organic Field-Effect Transistors. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:1131-1146. [PMID: 35084195 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c03909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Past decades have witnessed the rapid development of conjugated polymers because of their promising semiconducting properties and applications in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). Recent studies have shown that side-chain engineering of conjugated polymers is an efficient strategy to increase semiconducting performance. This Perspective focuses on the side-chain modulation of conjugated polymers and evaluating their effects on the performance of OFETs. The challenges and potential applications of functional high-performance OFETs through side-chain engineering are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Peng Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yu Feng
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P.R. China
| | - Xiangfeng Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Hao-Li Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zitong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P.R. China
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Yang J, Kang F, Wang X, Zhang Q. Design strategies for improving the crystallinity of covalent organic frameworks and conjugated polymers: a review. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2022; 9:121-146. [PMID: 34842260 DOI: 10.1039/d1mh00809a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Highly crystalline covalent organic frameworks (COFs) or conjugated polymers (CPs) are very important and highly desirable because these materials would display better performance in diverse devices and provide more structure-property related information. However, how to achieve highly crystalline or single-crystal COFs and CPs is very challenging. Recently, many research studies have demonstrated the possibility of enhancing the crystallinity of COFs and CPs. Thus, it is timely to offer an overview of the important progress in improving the crystallinity of COFs and CPs from the viewpoint of design strategies. These strategies include polycondensation reaction optimization, improving the planarity, fluorine substitution, side chain engineering, and so on. Furthermore, the challenges and perspectives are also discussed to promote the realization of highly crystalline or single-crystal COFs and CPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Yang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR 999077, P. R. China.
| | - Fangyuan Kang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR 999077, P. R. China.
| | - Xiang Wang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR 999077, P. R. China.
| | - Qichun Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR 999077, P. R. China.
- Center of Super-Diamond and Advanced Films (COSDAF), City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR 999077, P. R. China
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Zhao F, Yuan Y, Ding Y, Wang Y, Wang X, Zhang G, Gu X, Qiu L. Taming Charge Transport and Mechanical Properties of Conjugated Polymers with Linear Siloxane Side Chains. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c00441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fengsheng Zhao
- National Engineering Lab of Special Display Technology, State Key Lab of Advanced Display Technology, Academy of Opto-Electronic Technology, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials and Devices, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Ye Yuan
- National Engineering Lab of Special Display Technology, State Key Lab of Advanced Display Technology, Academy of Opto-Electronic Technology, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials and Devices, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Yafei Ding
- National Engineering Lab of Special Display Technology, State Key Lab of Advanced Display Technology, Academy of Opto-Electronic Technology, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials and Devices, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Yunfei Wang
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Xiaohong Wang
- National Engineering Lab of Special Display Technology, State Key Lab of Advanced Display Technology, Academy of Opto-Electronic Technology, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials and Devices, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Guobing Zhang
- National Engineering Lab of Special Display Technology, State Key Lab of Advanced Display Technology, Academy of Opto-Electronic Technology, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Xiaodan Gu
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Longzhen Qiu
- National Engineering Lab of Special Display Technology, State Key Lab of Advanced Display Technology, Academy of Opto-Electronic Technology, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Measuring Theory and Precision Instrument, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
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