Rod–Coil Block Copolymer: Fullerene Blend Water-Processable Nanoparticles: How Molecular Structure Addresses Morphology and Efficiency in NP-OPVs
The use of water-processable nanoparticles (WPNPs) is an emerging strategy for the processing of organic semiconducting materials into aqueous medium, dramatically reducing the use of chlorinated solvents and enabling the control of the nanomorphology in OPV active layers. We studied amphiphilic rod...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-12-01
|
| Series: | Nanomaterials |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/12/1/84 |
| _version_ | 1797498159134408704 |
|---|---|
| author | Anna Maria Ferretti Marianna Diterlizzi William Porzio Umberto Giovanella Lucia Ganzer Tersilla Virgili Varun Vohra Eduardo Arias Ivana Moggio Guido Scavia Silvia Destri Stefania Zappia |
| author_facet | Anna Maria Ferretti Marianna Diterlizzi William Porzio Umberto Giovanella Lucia Ganzer Tersilla Virgili Varun Vohra Eduardo Arias Ivana Moggio Guido Scavia Silvia Destri Stefania Zappia |
| author_sort | Anna Maria Ferretti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The use of water-processable nanoparticles (WPNPs) is an emerging strategy for the processing of organic semiconducting materials into aqueous medium, dramatically reducing the use of chlorinated solvents and enabling the control of the nanomorphology in OPV active layers. We studied amphiphilic rod-coil block copolymers (BCPs) with a different chemical structure and length of the hydrophilic coil blocks. Using the BCPs blended with a fullerene acceptor material, we fabricated NP-OPV devices with a sustainable approach. The goal of this work is to clarify how the morphology of the nanodomains of the two active materials is addressed by the hydrophilic coil molecular structures, and in turn how the design of the materials affects the device performances. Exploiting a peculiar application of TEM, EFTEM microscopy on WPNPs, with the contribution of AFM and spectroscopic techniques, we correlate the coil structure with the device performances, demonstrating the pivotal influence of the chemical design over material properties. BCP5, bearing a coil block of five repeating units of 4-vinilpyridine (4VP), leads to working devices with efficiency comparable to the solution-processed ones for the multiple PCBM-rich cores morphology displayed by the blend WPNPs. Otherwise, BCP2 and BCP15, with 2 and 15 repeating units of 4VP, respectively, show a single large PCBM-rich core; the insertion of styrene units into the coil block of BCP100 is detrimental for the device efficiency, even if it produces an intermixed structure. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:29:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f3dd49ce43f346b99b3f59da67f56f7e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:29:28Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-f3dd49ce43f346b99b3f59da67f56f7e2023-11-23T12:01:16ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912021-12-011218410.3390/nano12010084Rod–Coil Block Copolymer: Fullerene Blend Water-Processable Nanoparticles: How Molecular Structure Addresses Morphology and Efficiency in NP-OPVsAnna Maria Ferretti0Marianna Diterlizzi1William Porzio2Umberto Giovanella3Lucia Ganzer4Tersilla Virgili5Varun Vohra6Eduardo Arias7Ivana Moggio8Guido Scavia9Silvia Destri10Stefania Zappia11Laboratorio di Nanotecnologie, Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta” (SCITEC)—CNR, Sezione Via G. Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milano, ItalyIstituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta” (SCITEC)—CNR, Sede Via A. Corti 12, 20133 Milano, ItalyIstituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta” (SCITEC)—CNR, Sede Via A. Corti 12, 20133 Milano, ItalyIstituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta” (SCITEC)—CNR, Sede Via A. Corti 12, 20133 Milano, ItalyIstituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie (IFN)—CNR, P.zza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20132 Milano, ItalyIstituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie (IFN)—CNR, P.zza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20132 Milano, ItalyDepartment of Engineering Science, University of Electro-Communications, 1-5-1 Chofugaoka, Chofu, Tokyo 182-858, JapanCentro de Investigación en Química Aplicada (CIQA), Boulevard Enrique Reyna 140, Saltillo 25294, MexicoCentro de Investigación en Química Aplicada (CIQA), Boulevard Enrique Reyna 140, Saltillo 25294, MexicoIstituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta” (SCITEC)—CNR, Sede Via A. Corti 12, 20133 Milano, ItalyIstituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta” (SCITEC)—CNR, Sede Via A. Corti 12, 20133 Milano, ItalyIstituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta” (SCITEC)—CNR, Sede Via A. Corti 12, 20133 Milano, ItalyThe use of water-processable nanoparticles (WPNPs) is an emerging strategy for the processing of organic semiconducting materials into aqueous medium, dramatically reducing the use of chlorinated solvents and enabling the control of the nanomorphology in OPV active layers. We studied amphiphilic rod-coil block copolymers (BCPs) with a different chemical structure and length of the hydrophilic coil blocks. Using the BCPs blended with a fullerene acceptor material, we fabricated NP-OPV devices with a sustainable approach. The goal of this work is to clarify how the morphology of the nanodomains of the two active materials is addressed by the hydrophilic coil molecular structures, and in turn how the design of the materials affects the device performances. Exploiting a peculiar application of TEM, EFTEM microscopy on WPNPs, with the contribution of AFM and spectroscopic techniques, we correlate the coil structure with the device performances, demonstrating the pivotal influence of the chemical design over material properties. BCP5, bearing a coil block of five repeating units of 4-vinilpyridine (4VP), leads to working devices with efficiency comparable to the solution-processed ones for the multiple PCBM-rich cores morphology displayed by the blend WPNPs. Otherwise, BCP2 and BCP15, with 2 and 15 repeating units of 4VP, respectively, show a single large PCBM-rich core; the insertion of styrene units into the coil block of BCP100 is detrimental for the device efficiency, even if it produces an intermixed structure.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/12/1/84PCPDTBTminiemulsionwater-processable nanoparticlesOPVnanodomainTEM |
| spellingShingle | Anna Maria Ferretti Marianna Diterlizzi William Porzio Umberto Giovanella Lucia Ganzer Tersilla Virgili Varun Vohra Eduardo Arias Ivana Moggio Guido Scavia Silvia Destri Stefania Zappia Rod–Coil Block Copolymer: Fullerene Blend Water-Processable Nanoparticles: How Molecular Structure Addresses Morphology and Efficiency in NP-OPVs Nanomaterials PCPDTBT miniemulsion water-processable nanoparticles OPV nanodomain TEM |
| title | Rod–Coil Block Copolymer: Fullerene Blend Water-Processable Nanoparticles: How Molecular Structure Addresses Morphology and Efficiency in NP-OPVs |
| title_full | Rod–Coil Block Copolymer: Fullerene Blend Water-Processable Nanoparticles: How Molecular Structure Addresses Morphology and Efficiency in NP-OPVs |
| title_fullStr | Rod–Coil Block Copolymer: Fullerene Blend Water-Processable Nanoparticles: How Molecular Structure Addresses Morphology and Efficiency in NP-OPVs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rod–Coil Block Copolymer: Fullerene Blend Water-Processable Nanoparticles: How Molecular Structure Addresses Morphology and Efficiency in NP-OPVs |
| title_short | Rod–Coil Block Copolymer: Fullerene Blend Water-Processable Nanoparticles: How Molecular Structure Addresses Morphology and Efficiency in NP-OPVs |
| title_sort | rod coil block copolymer fullerene blend water processable nanoparticles how molecular structure addresses morphology and efficiency in np opvs |
| topic | PCPDTBT miniemulsion water-processable nanoparticles OPV nanodomain TEM |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/12/1/84 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT annamariaferretti rodcoilblockcopolymerfullereneblendwaterprocessablenanoparticleshowmolecularstructureaddressesmorphologyandefficiencyinnpopvs AT mariannaditerlizzi rodcoilblockcopolymerfullereneblendwaterprocessablenanoparticleshowmolecularstructureaddressesmorphologyandefficiencyinnpopvs AT williamporzio rodcoilblockcopolymerfullereneblendwaterprocessablenanoparticleshowmolecularstructureaddressesmorphologyandefficiencyinnpopvs AT umbertogiovanella rodcoilblockcopolymerfullereneblendwaterprocessablenanoparticleshowmolecularstructureaddressesmorphologyandefficiencyinnpopvs AT luciaganzer rodcoilblockcopolymerfullereneblendwaterprocessablenanoparticleshowmolecularstructureaddressesmorphologyandefficiencyinnpopvs AT tersillavirgili rodcoilblockcopolymerfullereneblendwaterprocessablenanoparticleshowmolecularstructureaddressesmorphologyandefficiencyinnpopvs AT varunvohra rodcoilblockcopolymerfullereneblendwaterprocessablenanoparticleshowmolecularstructureaddressesmorphologyandefficiencyinnpopvs AT eduardoarias rodcoilblockcopolymerfullereneblendwaterprocessablenanoparticleshowmolecularstructureaddressesmorphologyandefficiencyinnpopvs AT ivanamoggio rodcoilblockcopolymerfullereneblendwaterprocessablenanoparticleshowmolecularstructureaddressesmorphologyandefficiencyinnpopvs AT guidoscavia rodcoilblockcopolymerfullereneblendwaterprocessablenanoparticleshowmolecularstructureaddressesmorphologyandefficiencyinnpopvs AT silviadestri rodcoilblockcopolymerfullereneblendwaterprocessablenanoparticleshowmolecularstructureaddressesmorphologyandefficiencyinnpopvs AT stefaniazappia rodcoilblockcopolymerfullereneblendwaterprocessablenanoparticleshowmolecularstructureaddressesmorphologyandefficiencyinnpopvs |