Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2019 Mar 6;21(10):5705-5715. doi: 10.1039/c8cp07137c.
A modified synthesis method for aqueous nanoparticle printing inks, based upon vacuum-assisted solvent removal, is reported. Poly(3-hexylthiophene):phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester nanoparticle inks were prepared via this modified miniemulsion method, leading to both an improvement in photoactive layer morphology and a substantial reduction in the ink fabrication time. A combination of UV-visible spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy measurements revealed a nanoparticle morphology comprising highly intermixed donor-acceptor domains. Consistent with these measurements, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis of the nanoparticles showed a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 104 °C, rather than a pure polymer phase or pure fullerene phase Tg. Together the spectroscopy, microscopy and thermomechanical data indicate that rapid solvent removal generates a more blended nanoparticle morphology. As such, this study highlights a new experimental lever for optimising nanostructure in the photoactive layer of nanoparticulate organic photovoltaic devices by enabling highly intermixed donor-acceptor architectures to be built from customised nanoparticulate inks.
本文报道了一种基于真空辅助溶剂去除的改良型水基纳米粒子打印墨水合成方法。通过这种改良的微乳液法制备了聚（3-己基噻吩）：苯基 C61 丁酸甲酯纳米粒子墨水，这不仅改善了光活性层形貌，而且大大缩短了墨水的制备时间。紫外可见光谱、光致发光光谱和扫描透射 X 射线显微镜测量的结合表明，纳米粒子形态包含高度混合的给体-受体域。与这些测量结果一致，纳米粒子的动态力学热分析显示玻璃化转变温度（Tg）为 104°C，而不是纯聚合物相或纯富勒烯相 Tg。光谱、显微镜和热机械数据表明，快速溶剂去除会产生更混合的纳米粒子形态。因此，这项研究通过使高度混合的给体-受体结构能够从定制的纳米粒子墨水构建，为优化纳米颗粒有机光伏器件光活性层中的纳米结构提供了一个新的实验手段。
