Current mode atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) study for local electrical characterization of conjugated polymer blends

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Organic Electronics
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) is a widely studied polymer semiconductor.
• Poly{[N,N'-bis(2-octyldodecyl)-naphthalene-1,4,5,8-bis(dicarboximide)-2,6-diyl]-alt-5,5'-(2,2'-bithiophene)} (P(NDI2OD-T2)) is a n-type polymer semiconductor with potential in organic electronics.
• The blend of P3HT and P(NDI2OD-T2) is a promising candidate for polymer solar cells due to their complementary electronic properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize a blend of P3HT and P(NDI2OD-T2) for polymer solar cell applications.
• To investigate the morphology and phase separation of the P3HT/P(NDI2OD-T2) blend using current mode atomic force microscopy (C-AFM).
• To understand the local electrical characteristics of the P3HT/P(NDI2OD-T2) blend at the nanoscale.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of a blend of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and poly{[N,N'-bis(2-octyldodecyl)-naphthalene-1,4,5,8-bis(dicarboximide)-2,6-diyl]-alt-5,5'-(2,2'-bithiophene)} (P(NDI2OD-T2)).
• Utilizing current mode atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) for nanoscale imaging and electrical characterization.
• Analysis of phase-separated domains and local conductivity within the polymer blend.

Main Results:

• The P3HT/P(NDI2OD-T2) blend exhibited distinct phase-separated domains.
• C-AFM measurements provided insights into the local electrical properties of these domains.
• The study successfully correlated the morphology with the electrical characteristics of the blend.

Conclusions:

• The P3HT/P(NDI2OD-T2) blend possesses a morphology suitable for investigation using C-AFM.
• Understanding the nanoscale phase separation and local electrical properties is crucial for optimizing polymer solar cell performance.
• This work provides a foundation for further development of P3HT/P(NDI2OD-T2) based organic electronic devices.