End-on Chain Orientation of Poly(3-alkylthiophene)s on a Substrate by Microphase Separation of Lamellar Forming Amphiphilic Diblock Copolymer

Kyu Seong Lee, Philgon Kim, Jaeyong Lee, Chungryong Choi, Yeseong Seo, So Yeong Park, Keonwoo Kim, Chaneui Park, Kilwon Cho, Hong Chul Moon, Jin Kon Kim

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17 Scopus citations

Abstract

We obtained the end-on orientation of poly(3-dodecylthiophene) (P3DDT) chains where the main chains are vertically oriented on a substrate by synthesizing poly(3-dodecylthiophene)-block-poly(3-(2-(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy)ethoxy)methyl thiophene) copolymer (P3DDT-b-P3TEGT) with two different weight fractions of P3DDT block (wP3DDT = 0.48 and 0.65). Both block copolymers showed well-ordered lamellar microdomains in bulk, verified by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Because of the high incompatibility of the two blocks, P3DDT-b-P3TEGT thin films prepared by spin-coating on a substrate followed by thermally annealing showed parallel oriented lamellar microdomains to the substrate. Hydrophilic P3TEGT microdomains were located at the substrate/polymer interface, while hydrophobic P3DDT microdomains were located at the polymer/air interface. Thus, both P3DDT and P3TEGT backbone chains were oriented perpendicularly to the lamellar layer (namely, film thickness direction), and the end-on orientations of P3DDT and P3TEGT chains were obtained. The hole mobility was measured by fabricating a space-charge-limited current (SCLC) device. P3DDT-b-P3TEGT showed much enhanced mobility compared with the device made of neat P3DDT film with edge-on orientation, indicating that end-on orientation is very effective for improving the hole mobility along the vertical direction.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)6734-6740
Number of pages7
JournalMacromolecules
Volume52
Issue number17
DOIs
StatePublished - 10 Sep 2019

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