Enhancing Molecular Alignment and Charge Transport of Solution-Sheared Semiconducting Polymer Films by the Electrical-Blade Effect

Molina-Lopez, Francisco; Wu, Hung-Chin; Wang, Ging-Ji Nathan; Yan, Hongping; Shaw, Leo; Xu, Jie; Toney, Michael F.; Bao, Zhenan

doi:10.1002/aelm.201800110

Title: Enhancing Molecular Alignment and Charge Transport of Solution-Sheared Semiconducting Polymer Films by the Electrical-Blade Effect

Journal Article · 21 May 2018 · Advanced Electronic Materials

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/aelm.201800110 · OSTI ID:1463390

Molina-Lopez, Francisco ^[1]; Wu, Hung-Chin ^[1]; Wang, Ging-Ji Nathan ^[1]; Yan, Hongping ^[2];

^[1]; Xu, Jie ^[1];

^[3]; Bao, Zhenan ^[1]

Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
Stanford Univ., CA (United States); SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)

Abstract Controlling polymer chain alignment through processing is a means of tuning the charge transport of solution‐based conjugated polymers. In this work, a processing strategy is proposed in which an external electric field (E‐field) is applied to the coating blade (E‐blade) to align polymer chain during solution‐shearing, a meniscus‐guided coating technique. A theoretical model based on dielectrophoresis quantitatively describes and predicts the alignment process and is used to guide the selection of the optimal conditions of the applied E‐field. Using these conditions, more than twofold increase in chain alignment is observed for E‐bladed thin films of a diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) semiconducting polymer without affecting other morphological aspects such as film thickness, film coverage, or fiber‐like aggregation. Organic field effect transistors based on the E‐bladed DPP polymer are fabricated at ambient conditions and over areas of a few cm ² . They display a threefold improvement in their mobilities and a strong enhancement in charge transport anisotropy compared to films prepared without E‐field. These results reveal a synergistic alignment effect from both the solution‐shearing process and the applied E‐field, and introduce a novel and general approach to control the morphology and the electrical properties of solution‐coated conjugated polymer thin films.

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Research Organization:: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-76SF00515; SC0016523; P2ELP2_155355; ECCS-1542152; 106-2917-I-564-023; DE‐SC0016523

OSTI ID:: 1463390

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1438076

Journal Information:: Advanced Electronic Materials, Vol. 4, Issue 7; ISSN 2199-160X

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 24 works

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