Molecular weight dependence of carrier mobility and recombination rate in neat P3HT films

Dixon, Alex G.; Visvanathan, Rayshan; Clark, Noel A.; Stingelin, Natalie; Kopidakis, Nikos; Shaheen, Sean E.

doi:10.1002/polb.24531

Title: Molecular weight dependence of carrier mobility and recombination rate in neat P3HT films

Journal Article · Thu Nov 02 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Journal of Polymer Science. Part B, Polymer Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/polb.24531· OSTI ID:1412831

^[1]; Visvanathan, Rayshan ^[1]; Clark, Noel A. ^[1]; Stingelin, Natalie ^[2]; Kopidakis, Nikos ^[3]; Shaheen, Sean E. ^[1]

Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
Imperial College, London (United Kingdom)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

The microstructure dependence of carrier mobility and recombination rates of neat films of poly 3-hexylthyophene (P3HT) were determined for a range of materials of weight-average molecular weights, Mw, ranging from 14 to 331 kDa. This variation has previously been shown to modify the polymer microstructure, with low molecular weights forming a one-phase, paraffinic-like structure comprised of chain-extended crystallites, and higher molecular weights forming a semicrystalline structure with crystalline domains being embedded in an amorphous matrix. Using Charge Extraction by Linearly Increasing Voltage (CELIV), we show here that the carrier mobility in P3HT devices peaks for materials of Mw = 48 kDa, and that the recombination rate decreases monotonically with increasing molecular weight. This trend is likely due to the development of a semicrystalline, two-phase structure with increasing Mw, which allows for the spatial separation of holes and electrons into the amorphous and crystalline regions, respectively. This separation leads to decreased recombination.

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Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1412831

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5900-70633

Journal Information:: Journal of Polymer Science. Part B, Polymer Physics, Vol. 56, Issue 1; ISSN 0887-6266

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 33 works

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
carrier mobility
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CELIV
conjugated polymer
molecular weight
P3HT

Title: Molecular weight dependence of carrier mobility and recombination rate in neat P3HT films

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