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Hierarchical Self‐Assembly in Monoaxially Electrospun P3HT/PCBM Nanofibers
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Hierarchical Self‐Assembly in Monoaxially Electrospun P3HT/PCBM Nanofibers

Caitlin Dillard, Richa Singhal and Vibha Kalra
Macromolecular materials and engineering, v 300(3), pp 320-327
Mar 2015
url
https://doi.org/10.1002/mame.201400214View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Maybe Open Access (Publisher Bronze) Open

Abstract

donor‐acceptor systems hierarchical self‐assembly monoaxial electrospinning nanofibers transmission electron microscopy
We report monoaxial electrospinning and self‐assembly characterization of poly(3‐hexylthiophene)/[6,6]‐phenyl‐C61‐butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT/PCBM) nanofibers. Nanofibers were directly compared to films (as made and annealed) to understand the effects of extensional forces and high evaporation rate inherent to electrospinning on nanoscale structure. X‐ray scattering shows electrospinning can achieve improved crystallinity and reduced length scale of P3HT and PCBM phases. Due to extensional flow, co‐continuous phases form along the fiber axis, as evident in transmission electron microscopy. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate monoaxially‐spun, pure P3HT/PCBM nanofibers, a facile processing method with the potential to transform the field of wearable photovoltaics. P3HT/PCBM nanofibers are fabricated by monoaxial electrospinning and are shown to exhibit promising morphologies for organic solar cells compared to solution‐cast films. X‐ray scattering in the small angle regime shows that nanofibers have a smaller domain spacing; wide angle shows improved crystallinity. Interdigitated pathways 20–30 nm aligned along the fiber axis are observed with transmission electron micrographs of microtomed fiber sections.

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Web of Science research areas
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Polymer Science
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