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Dynamic self-stabilization in the electronic and nanomechanical properties of an organic polymer semiconductor.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Korolkov, Vladimir V  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8994-8310
Lemaur, Vincent 
Un, Hio-Ieng 

Abstract

The field of organic electronics has profited from the discovery of new conjugated semiconducting polymers that have molecular backbones which exhibit resilience to conformational fluctuations, accompanied by charge carrier mobilities that routinely cross the 1 cm2/Vs benchmark. One such polymer is indacenodithiophene-co-benzothiadiazole. Previously understood to be lacking in microstructural order, we show here direct evidence of nanosized domains of high order in its thin films. We also demonstrate that its device-based high-performance electrical and thermoelectric properties are not intrinsic but undergo rapid stabilization following a burst of ambient air exposure. The polymer's nanomechanical properties equilibrate on longer timescales owing to an orthogonal mechanism; the gradual sweating-out of residual low molecular weight solvent molecules from its surface. We snapshot the quasistatic temporal evolution of the electrical, thermoelectric and nanomechanical properties of this prototypical organic semiconductor and investigate the subtleties which play on competing timescales. Our study documents the untold and often overlooked story of a polymer device's dynamic evolution toward stability.

Description

Keywords

40 Engineering, 3403 Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry, 4016 Materials Engineering, 34 Chemical Sciences

Journal Title

Nat Commun

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2041-1723
2041-1723

Volume Title

13

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sponsorship
Royal Society (URF\R1\201590)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/L015889/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/R031894/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/S030662/1)
Royal Society, National Science Foundation
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