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Poly(3-hexylthiophene)/gold nanoparticle nanocomposites: relationship between morphology and electrical conductivity

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Abstract

The morphology and electrical properties of gold nanoparticles (AuNP) layer vacuum-deposited onto spin-cast thin films of poly(3-hexylthiophene), P3HT, were studied. The electrical conductivity was measured during temperature cycling and related to the morphology of the same composite structures, which was monitored by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and extra-high resolution scanning electron microscopy (XHR SEM). Comparison to the analogous polystyrene/AuNP layers was made to distinguish the role of the polymer support on the morphology and electrical properties of the nanoparticles assembly. Gold deposited in a very thin layer formed a nanoparticles-like island structure with the morphology depending on the effective thickness of the deposited layer and on its subsequent thermal treatment. A stabilizing effect of the thiophene–gold interaction on the nanoparticles morphology was observed.

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Acknowledgements

The work was supported through grants GACR P205/10/0348, TACR TE01020118 and by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of CR within the National Sustainability Program I (NPU I), Project POLYMAT LO1507.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v. v. i., Heyrovsky Sq. 2, 162 06, Prague 6, Czech Republic

    Bartosz Paruzel, Ewa Pavlova, Jiří Pfleger, Miroslav Šlouf & Klara Halašová

  2. Institute of Scientific Instruments, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v. v. i., Královopolská 147, 612 64, Brno, Czech Republic

    Šárka Mikmeková

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  1. Bartosz Paruzel
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  2. Ewa Pavlova
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  3. Jiří Pfleger
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  4. Miroslav Šlouf
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  5. Klara Halašová
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  6. Šárka Mikmeková
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Correspondence to Bartosz Paruzel.

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Paruzel, B., Pavlova, E., Pfleger, J. et al. Poly(3-hexylthiophene)/gold nanoparticle nanocomposites: relationship between morphology and electrical conductivity. Chem. Pap. 71, 401–408 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-016-0101-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-016-0101-8

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