Breaking through the limits of stretchable semiconductors with molecular brakes that harness light

Science Daily  June 9, 2023 Researchers in South Korea investigated the effects of an azide photocrosslinker’s molecular length and structure on the microstructural, electrical features, and stretchability of photocrosslinked conjugated polymer films. For a systematic comparison, they synthesized a series of nitrene-induced photocrosslinkers (n-NIPSs) with different numbers of ethylene glycol repeating units (n = 1, 4, 8, 13) that bridge two tetrafluoro-aryl azide end groups. Two semicrystalline conjugated polymers and two nearly amorphous conjugated polymers were co-processed with n-NIPSs and crosslinked by brief exposure to UV light. They found that among the synthesized n-NIPSs, the shortest one (1-NIPS) is the […]

Organic semiconductors curl up in the dark

Nanowerk  January 17, 2023 Organic semiconductors have the potential to replace their silicon predecessors in many applications. However, the manufacturing processes of solar cells that achieve such efficiencies are not yet compatible with mass production. An international team of researchers (Denmark, Germany) used roll-to-roll methos to print the organic semiconductor (poly(3-hexylthiophene) or P3HT), used for flexible solar cells, and organic electronics directly on a polymer film. In solution without illumination or under red light, the polymer chains quickly aggregated and formed ordered domains. When illuminated under green or blue light, the more rigid polymer chains, excited by the light, were […]