Congratulations to CPE members for their latest publication in Nature Materials
CPE members publish in Nature Materials on Microstructure formation in molecular and polymer semiconductors assisted by nucleation agents
A team of researchers in the CPE have published an article in high-impact journal Nature on microstructure formation in molecular and polymer semiconductors assisted by nucleation agents.
Abstract:
Additives, including nucleating agents, have been used to regulate the solidification process of (semi-)crystalline polymer solids and thus control both their crystallite dimensions and shape. Here, we demonstrate that minute amounts (0.1–1 wt%) of commercially available nucleating agents can be used to efficiently manipulate the solidification kinetics of a wide range of organic semiconductors—including poly(3-alkylthiophene)s, the fullerene derivative [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) and 6,13-bis(triisopropyl-silylethynyl) (TIPS) pentacene—when processed from the melt, solution or solid state, without adversely affecting the semiconductors’ electronic properties. Heterogeneous nucleation increases the temperature of and rate of crystallization of poly(3-alkylthiophene)s, permits patterning of crystallites at pre-defined locations in PCBM, and minimizes dewetting of films of TIPS-pentacene formed by inkjet printing. Nucleating agents thus make possible the fabrication of thin-film transistors with uniform electrical characteristics at high yield.
Please see here for the full paper.
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