Influence of solution-state aggregation on conjugated polymer crystallization in thin films and microwire crystals
Yu-Qing Zheng,
Ze-Fan Yao,
Jin-Hu Dou,
Yilin Wang,
Wei Ma,
Lin Zou,
Shayla Nikzad,
Qi-Yi Li,
Ze-Hao Sun,
Zhi-Ao Yu,
Wen-Bin Zhang,
Jie-Yu Wang,
Jian Pei
Affiliations
Yu-Qing Zheng
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, Center of Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
Ze-Fan Yao
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, Center of Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
Jin-Hu Dou
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, Center of Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
Yilin Wang
State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
Wei Ma
State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
Lin Zou
Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621999, China
Shayla Nikzad
Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
Qi-Yi Li
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, Center of Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
Ze-Hao Sun
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, Center of Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
Zhi-Ao Yu
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, Center of Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
Wen-Bin Zhang
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, Center of Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
Jie-Yu Wang
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, Center of Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
Jian Pei
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, Center of Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China; Corresponding author.
Highly ordered nanostructures assembled from conjugated polymers have great potential for probing fundamental structure-property relationships, as well as boosting the charge transport performance. To date, the effect of solution-state aggregation on crystallization and charge transport in conjugated polymers is still unclear and in need of precise description at the molecular level. In this work, we report a systematic study of solution-state aggregation on crystallization and charge transport in BDOPV-based conjugated polymers through side chain engineering. Detailed analysis of crystal packing structures of conjugated polymers reveals that intermolecular displacements are substantially modified in order to minimize steric hindrance caused by the alkyl side chains. Moreover, subtle differences in side chain chemical structures play a vital role in regulating solution-state aggregation, and thus crystalline domain sizes in both microwires and thin films. Farther branched side chain leads to larger polymer aggregates in solution and therefore larger crystalline domains in solid films. Subsequently, an increase in electron mobility is obtained with the highest mobility values surpassing 10 cm2 V−1 s−1. This work unravels that the modification of the side chains is an efficient strategy for fine-tuning the interchain organization of conjugated polymers from solution to solid state.
