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Semicrystalline morphology in thin films of poly(3-hexylthiophene)

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Abstract

The thermodynamic phase behavior and the morphology in thin films of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) has been studied using calorimetry, X-ray scattering, and scanning force microscopy (AFM). Around 225 °C a phase transition from the crystalline state to a layered, liquid crystalline structure occurs in regioregular P3HT, while the regiorandom counterpart material is disordered at all temperatures and displays a glass transition temperature T g ≈−3 °C. Regioregular P3HT is semicrystalline and forms needle or plate like crystallites which in solution cast thin films are oriented with respect to the substrate. Films produced by spin coating display a non-equilibrium structure with reduced order and orientation. Annealing of these films in the liquid crystalline state leads to the formation of a morphology similar to the one observed in solution cast films.

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  1. Values given by the supplier.

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Acknowledgement

We thank E. Hempel for the DSC measurements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physikalisches Institut, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Str. 3, 79104, Freiburg, Germany

    S. Hugger & T. Heinzel

  2. Freiburger Materialforschungszentrum und Institut für Makromolekulare Chemie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Str. 21, 79104, Freiburg

    R. Thomann

  3. Fachbereich Physik, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, 06099, Halle, Germany

    T. Thurn-Albrecht

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  1. S. Hugger
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  2. R. Thomann
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  4. T. Thurn-Albrecht
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Correspondence to T. Thurn-Albrecht.

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Hugger, S., Thomann, R., Heinzel, T. et al. Semicrystalline morphology in thin films of poly(3-hexylthiophene). Colloid Polym Sci 282, 932–938 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-004-1100-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-004-1100-9

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