Toward intrinsically stretchable organic semiconductors: Mechanical properties of high-performance conjugated polymers

Eric J. Sawyer, Suchol Savagatrup, Timothy F. O'Connor, Aditya S. Makaram, Daniel J. Burke, Aliaksandr V. Zaretski, Adam D. Printz, Darren J. Lipomi

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper describes several approaches to understanding and improving the response of π-conjugated (semiconducting) polymers to tensile strain. Our principal goal was to establish the design criteria for introducing elasticity and ductility in conjugated (semiconducting) polymers through a rigorous analysis of the structural determinants of the mechanical properties of this type of material. We elucidated the details of the effect of the alkyl side chain length on the mechanical properties of regioregular polythiophene and used this analysis to select materials for stretching and transfer printing of organic solar cells to hemispherical substrates. This demonstration represents the first time that a conjugated polymer device has ever been stretched and conformally bonded to a complex 3D surface (i.e., other than a cone or cylinder, for which flexibility-as opposed to stretchability-is sufficient). We then further explored the details of the dependence of the mechanical properties on the side chain of a semiconducting polymer by synthesizing a series of hybrid materials (block and random copolymers) containing both short and long side chains. This analysis revealed the unusual semiconducting polymer, poly(3-heptylthiophene), as having an excellent combination of mechanical and electronic properties. In parallel, we explored a new method of producing "blocky" copolymers using a new procedure based on random segmentation of conjugated monomers. We found that introduction of structural randomness increased the elasticity without having detrimental effects on the photovoltaic performance. We also describe methods of synthesizing large volumes of conjugated polymers in environmentally benign ways that were amenable to manufacturing.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationOrganic Field-Effect Transistors XIII; and Organic Semiconductors in Sensors and Bioelectronics VII
EditorsIain McCulloch, Ioannis Kymissis, Zhenan Bao, Ruth Shinar
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781628412123
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014
Externally publishedYes
EventOrganic Field-Effect Transistors XIII; and Organic Semiconductors in Sensors and Bioelectronics VII - San Diego, United States
Duration: Aug 18 2014Aug 20 2014

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume9185
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceOrganic Field-Effect Transistors XIII; and Organic Semiconductors in Sensors and Bioelectronics VII
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Diego
Period8/18/148/20/14

Keywords

  • Bulk heterojunction
  • Conjugated polymer
  • Green chemistry
  • Mechanical properties
  • Organic solar cells
  • P3HT
  • PCBM
  • Polythiophene
  • Stretchable electronics
  • Transfer printing

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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