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- Title
Microstructure formation in molecular and polymer semiconductors assisted by nucleation agents.
- Authors
Treat, Neil D.; Nekuda Malik, Jennifer A.; Reid, Obadiah; Yu, Liyang; Shuttle, Christopher G.; Rumbles, Garry; Hawker, Craig J.; Chabinyc, Michael L.; Smith, Paul; Stingelin, Natalie
- 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.
- Subjects
MICROSTRUCTURE; MOLECULAR structure; SEMICONDUCTORS; NUCLEATION; POLYMER structure; BUTYRIC acid; METHYL formate
- Publication
Nature Materials, 2013, Vol 12, Issue 7, p628
- ISSN
1476-1122
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1038/nmat3655