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Zubayer A, Ghafoor N, Thórarinsdóttir KA, Stendahl S, Glavic A, Stahn J, Nagy G, Greczynski G, Schwartzkopf M, Le Febvrier A, Eklund P, Birch J, Magnus F, Eriksson F. Reflective, polarizing, and magnetically soft amorphous neutron optics with 11B-enriched B 4C. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadl0402. [PMID: 38354253 PMCID: PMC10866559 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adl0402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The utilization of polarized neutrons is of great importance in scientific disciplines spanning materials science, physics, biology, and chemistry. However, state-of-the-art multilayer polarizing neutron optics have limitations, particularly low specular reflectivity and polarization at higher scattering vectors/angles, and the requirement of high external magnetic fields to saturate the polarizer magnetization. Here, we show that, by incorporating 11B4C into Fe/Si multilayers, amorphization and smooth interfaces can be achieved, yielding higher neutron reflectivity, less diffuse scattering, and higher polarization. Magnetic coercivity is eliminated, and magnetic saturation can be reached at low external fields (>2 militesla). This approach offers prospects for substantial improvement in polarizing neutron optics with nonintrusive positioning of the polarizer, enhanced flux, increased data accuracy, and further polarizing/analyzing methods at neutron scattering facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Zubayer
- Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Naureen Ghafoor
- Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | | | - Sjoerd Stendahl
- Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Artur Glavic
- Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Jochen Stahn
- Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Gyula Nagy
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, SE-75120, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Grzegorz Greczynski
- Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | | | - Arnaud Le Febvrier
- Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Per Eklund
- Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Jens Birch
- Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Fridrik Magnus
- Science Institute, University of Iceland, Dunhaga 3, IS-107 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Fredrik Eriksson
- Thin Film Physics Division, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
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2
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Jatav H, Shabaninezhad M, Mičetić M, Chakravorty A, Mishra A, Schwartzkopf M, Chumakov A, Roth SV, Kabiraj D. A Combinatorial Study Investigating the Growth of Ultrasmall Embedded Silver Nanoparticles upon Thermal Annealing. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:11983-11993. [PMID: 36150131 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c01730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasmall nanoparticles (NPs) with a high active surface area are essential for optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications. However, the structural stability and sustainability of these ultrasmall NPs at higher temperatures remain a critical problem. Here, we have synthesized the nanocomposites (NCs) of Ag NPs inside the silica matrix using the atom beam co-sputtering technique. The post-deposition growth of the embedded Ag NPs is systematically investigated at a wide range of annealing temperatures (ATs). A novel, fast, and effective procedure, correlating the experimental (UV-vis absorption results) and theoretical (quantum mechanical modeling, QMM) results, is used to estimate the size of NPs. The QMM-based simulation, employed for this work, is found to be more accurate in reproducing the absorption spectra over the classical/modified Drude model, which fails to predict the expected shift in the LSPR for ultrasmall NPs. Unlike the classical Drude model, the QMM incorporates the intraband transition of the conduction band electrons to calculate the effective dielectric function of metallic NCs, which is the major contribution of LSPR shifts for ultrasmall NPs. In this framework, a direct comparison is made between experimentally and theoretically observed LSPR peak positions, and it is observed that the size of NPs grows from 3 to 18 nm as AT increases from room temperature to 900 °C. Further, in situ grazing-incidence small- & wide-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy measurements are employed to comprehend the growth of Ag NPs and validate the UV + QMM results. We demonstrate that, unlike chemically grown NPs, the embedded Ag NPs ensure greater stability in size and remain in an ultrasmall regime up to 800 °C, and beyond this temperature, the size of NPs increases exponentially due to dominant Ostwald ripening. Finally, a three-stage mechanism is discussed to understand the process of nucleation and growth of the silica-embedded Ag NPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemant Jatav
- Materials science department, Inter-University Accelerator Centre, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Masoud Shabaninezhad
- Department of Physics, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 49008, United States
| | - Maja Mičetić
- Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
| | - Anusmita Chakravorty
- Materials science department, Inter-University Accelerator Centre, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Ambuj Mishra
- Materials science department, Inter-University Accelerator Centre, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India
| | | | - Andrei Chumakov
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestraße 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stephan V Roth
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestraße 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 56-58, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Debdulal Kabiraj
- Materials science department, Inter-University Accelerator Centre, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India
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3
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Liang S, Schwartzkopf M, Roth SV, Müller-Buschbaum P. State of the art of ultra-thin gold layers: formation fundamentals and applications. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2022; 4:2533-2560. [PMID: 36132287 PMCID: PMC9418724 DOI: 10.1039/d2na00127f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Fabrication of ultra-thin gold (Au) layers (UTGLs) has been regarded as the key technique to achieve applications with tunable optical response, flexible sensors and electronic devices. Various strategies have been developed to optimize the wetting process of Au, resulting in the formation of UTGLs at a minimum thickness. The related studies on UTGLs attracted huge attention in recent years. On the one hand, the growth processes of UTGLs on different substrates were in-depth probed by advanced in situ characterization techniques and the effects of optimization strategies on the growth of UTGLs were also revealed. On the other hand, based on the understanding of the growth behavior and the assistance of optimization strategies, various applications of UTGLs were realized based on optical/plasmon responses, surface-enhanced Raman scattering and as electrodes for various sensors and electronic devices, as well as being seed layers for thin film growth. In this focused review, both the fundamental and practical studies on UTGLs in the most recent years are elaborated in detail. The growth processes of UTGLs revealed by in situ characterization techniques, such as grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS), as well as the state of the art of UTGL-based applications, are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzhe Liang
- Technische Universität München, Lehrstuhl für Funktionelle Materialien, Physik-Department James-Franck-Str 1 85748 Garching Germany
| | | | - Stephan V Roth
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY Notkestr. 85 22607 Hamburg Germany
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology Teknikringen 56-58 SE-100 44 Stockholm Sweden
| | - Peter Müller-Buschbaum
- Technische Universität München, Lehrstuhl für Funktionelle Materialien, Physik-Department James-Franck-Str 1 85748 Garching Germany
- Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Technische Universität München Lichtenbergstr 85748 Garching Germany
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4
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Lazauskas A, Jucius D, Abakevičienė B, Guobienė A, Andrulevičius M. Trilayer Composite System Based on SiO 2, Thiol-Ene, and PEDOT:PSS. Focus on Stability after Thermal Treatment and Solar Irradiance. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:polym13193439. [PMID: 34641254 PMCID: PMC8512558 DOI: 10.3390/polym13193439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The trilayer composite was fabricated by combining functional layers of fumed SiO2, thiol-ene, and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT-PSS). Optical, scratch-healing, non-wetting, and electrical stability was investigated at different instances of time after thermal and solar irradiance treatment. The trilayer composite was found to be optically stable and highly transparent for visible light after thermal and irradiance treatment for 25 h. Both treatment processes had a minor effect on the shape-memory assisted scratch-healing performance of the trilayer composite. Thermal treatment and solar irradiance did not affect the superhydrophobic properties (contact angle 170 ± 1°) of the trilayer composite. The sheet resistance increased from 90 ± 3 Ω/square (initial) to 109 ± 3 Ω/square (thermal) and 149 ± 3 Ω/square (irradiance) after 25 h of treatment, which was considered as not significant change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Algirdas Lazauskas
- Institute of Materials Science, Kaunas University of Technology, K. Baršausko 59, LT51423 Kaunas, Lithuania; (D.J.); (B.A.); (A.G.); (M.A.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +370-671-73375
| | - Dalius Jucius
- Institute of Materials Science, Kaunas University of Technology, K. Baršausko 59, LT51423 Kaunas, Lithuania; (D.J.); (B.A.); (A.G.); (M.A.)
| | - Brigita Abakevičienė
- Institute of Materials Science, Kaunas University of Technology, K. Baršausko 59, LT51423 Kaunas, Lithuania; (D.J.); (B.A.); (A.G.); (M.A.)
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentų Str. 50, LT51423 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Asta Guobienė
- Institute of Materials Science, Kaunas University of Technology, K. Baršausko 59, LT51423 Kaunas, Lithuania; (D.J.); (B.A.); (A.G.); (M.A.)
| | - Mindaugas Andrulevičius
- Institute of Materials Science, Kaunas University of Technology, K. Baršausko 59, LT51423 Kaunas, Lithuania; (D.J.); (B.A.); (A.G.); (M.A.)
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5
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Östergren I, Pourrahimi AM, Darmadi I, da Silva R, Stolaś A, Lerch S, Berke B, Guizar-Sicairos M, Liebi M, Foli G, Palermo V, Minelli M, Moth-Poulsen K, Langhammer C, Müller C. Highly Permeable Fluorinated Polymer Nanocomposites for Plasmonic Hydrogen Sensing. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:21724-21732. [PMID: 33909392 PMCID: PMC8289187 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c01968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogen (H2) sensors that can be produced en masse with cost-effective manufacturing tools are critical for enabling safety in the emerging hydrogen economy. The use of melt-processed nanocomposites in this context would allow the combination of the advantages of plasmonic hydrogen detection with polymer technology; an approach which is held back by the slow diffusion of H2 through the polymer matrix. Here, we show that the use of an amorphous fluorinated polymer, compounded with colloidal Pd nanoparticles prepared by highly scalable continuous flow synthesis, results in nanocomposites that display a high H2 diffusion coefficient in the order of 10-5 cm2 s-1. As a result, plasmonic optical hydrogen detection with melt-pressed fluorinated polymer nanocomposites is no longer limited by the diffusion of the H2 analyte to the Pd nanoparticle transducer elements, despite a thickness of up to 100 μm, thereby enabling response times as short as 2.5 s at 100 mbar (≡10 vol. %) H2. Evidently, plasmonic sensors with a fast response time can be fabricated with thick, melt-processed nanocomposites, which paves the way for a new generation of robust H2 sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida Östergren
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers
University of Technology, Göteborg 412 96, Sweden
| | - Amir Masoud Pourrahimi
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers
University of Technology, Göteborg 412 96, Sweden
| | - Iwan Darmadi
- Department
of Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg 412 96, Sweden
| | - Robson da Silva
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers
University of Technology, Göteborg 412 96, Sweden
| | - Alicja Stolaś
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers
University of Technology, Göteborg 412 96, Sweden
| | - Sarah Lerch
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers
University of Technology, Göteborg 412 96, Sweden
| | - Barbara Berke
- Department
of Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg 412 96, Sweden
| | | | - Marianne Liebi
- Department
of Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg 412 96, Sweden
| | - Giacomo Foli
- Institute
of Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity, National Research Council, Bologna 40129, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Palermo
- Institute
of Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity, National Research Council, Bologna 40129, Italy
- Department
of Industrial and Materials Science, Chalmers
University of Technology, Göteborg 412 96, Sweden
| | - Matteo Minelli
- Department
of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Bologna 40131, Italy
| | - Kasper Moth-Poulsen
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers
University of Technology, Göteborg 412 96, Sweden
| | - Christoph Langhammer
- Department
of Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg 412 96, Sweden
| | - Christian Müller
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers
University of Technology, Göteborg 412 96, Sweden
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6
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Liang S, Chen W, Yin S, Schaper SJ, Guo R, Drewes J, Carstens N, Strunskus T, Gensch M, Schwartzkopf M, Faupel F, Roth SV, Cheng YJ, Müller-Buschbaum P. Tailoring the Optical Properties of Sputter-Deposited Gold Nanostructures on Nanostructured Titanium Dioxide Templates Based on In Situ Grazing-Incidence Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Determined Growth Laws. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:14728-14740. [PMID: 33734685 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c00972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Gold/titanium dioxide (Au/TiO2) nanohybrid materials have been widely applied in various fields because of their outstanding optical and photocatalytic performance. By state-of-the-art polymer templating, it is possible to make uniform nanostructured TiO2 layers with potentially large-scale processing methods. We use customized polymer templating to achieve TiO2 nanostructures with different morphologies. Au/TiO2 hybrid thin films are fabricated by sputter deposition. An in-depth understanding of the Au morphology on the TiO2 templates is achieved with in situ grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) during the sputter deposition. The resulting Au nanostructure is largely influenced by the TiO2 template morphology. Based on the detailed understanding of the Au growth process, characteristic distances can be selected to achieve tailored Au nanostructures at different Au loadings. For selected sputter-deposited Au/TiO2 hybrid thin films, the optical response with a tailored localized surface plasmon resonance is demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzhe Liang
- Lehrstuhl für Funktionelle Materialien, Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Wei Chen
- Lehrstuhl für Funktionelle Materialien, Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Shanshan Yin
- Lehrstuhl für Funktionelle Materialien, Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Simon J Schaper
- Lehrstuhl für Funktionelle Materialien, Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Renjun Guo
- Lehrstuhl für Funktionelle Materialien, Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Jonas Drewes
- Lehrstuhl für Materialverbunde, Institut für Materialwissenschaft, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kaiserstr. 2, 24143 Kiel, Germany
| | - Niko Carstens
- Lehrstuhl für Materialverbunde, Institut für Materialwissenschaft, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kaiserstr. 2, 24143 Kiel, Germany
| | - Thomas Strunskus
- Lehrstuhl für Materialverbunde, Institut für Materialwissenschaft, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kaiserstr. 2, 24143 Kiel, Germany
| | - Marc Gensch
- Lehrstuhl für Funktionelle Materialien, Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Franz Faupel
- Lehrstuhl für Materialverbunde, Institut für Materialwissenschaft, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kaiserstr. 2, 24143 Kiel, Germany
| | - Stephan V Roth
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 56-58, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ya-Jun Cheng
- Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology & Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1219 Zhongguan West Road, Zhenhai District, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province 315201, P. R. China
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, OX1 3PH Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Müller-Buschbaum
- Lehrstuhl für Funktionelle Materialien, Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
- Heinz Maier-Leibniz Zentrum (MLZ), Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstraße 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
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7
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Pellacani P, Morasso C, Picciolini S, Gallach D, Fornasari L, Marabelli F, Manso Silvan M. Plasma Fabrication and SERS Functionality of Gold Crowned Silicon Submicrometer Pillars. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 13:E1244. [PMID: 32164146 PMCID: PMC7085028 DOI: 10.3390/ma13051244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Sequential plasma processes combined with specific lithographic methods allow for the fabrication of advanced material structures. In the present work, we used self-assembled colloidal monolayers as lithographic structures for the conformation of ordered Si submicrometer pillars by reactive ion etching. We explored different discharge conditions to optimize the Si pillar geometry. Selected structures were further decorated with gold by conventional sputtering, prior to colloidal monolayer lift-off. The resulting structures consist of a gold crown, that is, a cylindrical coating on the edge of the Si pillar and a cavity on top. We analysed the Au structures in terms of electronic properties by using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) prior to and after post-processing with thermal annealing at 300 °C and/or interaction with a gold etchant solution (KI). The angular dependent analysis of the plasmonic properties was studied with Fourier transformed UV-vis measurements. Certain conditions were selected to perform a surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) evaluation of these platforms with two model dyes, prior to confirming the potential interest for a well-resolved analysis of filtered blood plasma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Pellacani
- Departamento de Física Aplicada and Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales Nicolás Cabrera, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (P.P.); or
- Plasmore S.r.l., Via Vittorio Emanuele II 4, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Carlo Morasso
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, via Maugeri 4, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Silvia Picciolini
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Via Capecelatro 66, 20148 Milano, Italy;
| | - Dario Gallach
- Departamento de Física Aplicada and Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales Nicolás Cabrera, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (P.P.); or
- Departamento de Ciencia, Computación y Tecnología, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lucia Fornasari
- Plasmore S.r.l., Via Vittorio Emanuele II 4, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Franco Marabelli
- Physics Department, University of Pavia. via A.Bassi, 6. I-27100, Pavia, Italy;
| | - Miguel Manso Silvan
- Departamento de Física Aplicada and Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales Nicolás Cabrera, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (P.P.); or
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Ahn KS, Jo H, Kim JB, Seo I, Lee HH, Lee DR. Structural Transition and Interdigitation of Alkyl Side Chains in the Conjugated Polymer Poly(3-hexylthiophene) and Their Effects on the Device Performance of the Associated Organic Field-Effect Transistor. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:1142-1150. [PMID: 31840490 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b17631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Direct grazing-angle X-ray scattering evidence of the order-disorder transition and interdigitation of side chains in a conjugated polymer poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) is presented. The free methyl ends of the side chains exhibit closest packing, as in n-alkane crystallization, and cause a structural mismatch due to the difference between their packing density and the areal density of the attached ends. This mismatch is resolved by increases in the tilt angle of the side chains and local interdigitation. In situ X-ray scattering and electrical measurements show that the structural transition and interdigitation of these side chains strongly affect its surface morphology as well as the charge transport properties of the resulting P3HT-based organic field-effect transistor. Since most conjugated polymers have side chains, the results of this study provide a deeper understanding of the effects of side chains on the structural and electrical properties of conjugated backbones. These results also provide a new perspective on the formation of a metastable polymorph consisting of interdigitated P3HT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang Seok Ahn
- Department of Physics , Soongsil University , Seoul 06978 , Korea
| | - Hyerin Jo
- Department of Physics , Soongsil University , Seoul 06978 , Korea
| | - Jong Beom Kim
- Department of Physics , Soongsil University , Seoul 06978 , Korea
| | - Ilwan Seo
- Department of Physics , Soongsil University , Seoul 06978 , Korea
| | - Hyun Hwi Lee
- Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, POSTECH , Pohang 37673 , Korea
| | - Dong Ryeol Lee
- Department of Physics , Soongsil University , Seoul 06978 , Korea
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