Growth of organic n-conductors on thin polymer films for use in organic field effect transistors

Thin films of different polymers - poly(styrene) (PS), poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA), poly(vinylcarbazole) (PVCz), poly(vinylchloride) (PVC) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) - were deposited by spin-coating or by vapor deposition. On these polymers, thin films of (hexadecafluorophthalocyaninato)-oxovanadium (F₁₆PcVO) were prepared by physical vapor deposition. The growth of these films was monitored in situ by optical spectroscopy. The optical absorbance spectra were analyzed based on the coupling of transition dipoles to obtain information on the intermolecular arrangement of chromophores in the films. In all of these samples, the molecules are oriented with their molecular plane preferentially perpendicular to the substrate surface. This gives the desired overlap of the π-systems for electric conductance parallel to the substrate. Differences in the interactions were detected when deposition temperatures below or above the glass transition temperature of a given polymer were compared. The morphology of the polymer films and the deposited semiconductors were investigated by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The influence of the chosen substrate on the film structure is determined. The optical and electric properties of the films could thereby be influenced and the applicability of such films as active layers in organic thin film transistors is discussed.     

脱氟化氢聚偏氟乙烯膜的制备, 表征和导电性能的研究

聚偏氟乙烯(PVDF)膜与一些有机弱碱作用脱氟化氢(HF)生成表面为一氟乙炔(PFA)的膜。红外、紫外可见光谱分析表明脱HF的PVDF膜的共轭链结构比较规整。X光电子能谱、反应深度和接触度的分析表明, PVDF脱HF反应主要发生在膜表面。脱HF的PVDF膜(PFA)经各种掺杂剂掺杂后电导率上升5~6个数量级, 最高可达10^-^4s/cm, 且在掺杂过程中出现出的性质不同于聚乙炔。     

偏氟乙烯-四氟乙烯共聚物高取向薄膜的形态结构研究

聚偏氟乙烯(PVF₂)至少有四种晶相结构,即α、β、γ和δ相,PVF₂的压电性和热电性直接依赖其β相结构。 本工作报导以特殊的熔体拉伸方法制备不同组成偏氯乙烯(VF₂)和四氟乙烯(VF₄)的共聚物高取向薄膜与对其结构的研究结果。     

Thermal Characterization of Polybutadiyne

Butadiyne was thermally polymerized from the vapor phase onto substrate polyethylene, poly(vinylidene fluoride), polytetrafluoro-ethylene, and fluorinated ethylene propylene films at 20°C. The reaction is characterized as an initial absorption of monomer into the film followed by polymerization in the condensed state. A postpolymerization thermal reaction of the polybutadiyne pendant ethynyl groups was conducted over a 120 to 470°C temperature range with a subsequent surface electrical resistivity decrease to 7 × 10¹¹ ohm/square. The reaction of the pendant acetylenic groups was monitored by DSC and IR spectroscopy and found to be more complex than an intramolecular conversion of an acetylenic polyene to a polyacene structure.     

Change in the surface properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride) films by treatment in direct-current discharge

It has been found that treatment in dc discharge results in a substantial and time-invariant increase in the surface energy of poly(vinylidene fluoride) films. This effect is obviously due to the formation of oxygen-containing groups on the polymer surface, a fact that is corroborated by Fourier-transform IR spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data. It has been shown that dc discharge is more effective in altering the contact properties of the polymer surface than low-frequency glow discharge.     

Surface modification of poly(vinylidene fluoride) film by treatment in low-frequency glow discharge

It was found that the surface energy of films of the fluoropolymer F-2M (poly(vinylidene fluoride)) is substantially increased by low-frequency glow discharge treatment. The modification effect is retained for a long time and is presumably due to the formation of oxygenated groups on the polymer surface, a fact that is corroborated by means of attenuated total reflection IR spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.     

Piezoelectricity,pyroelectricity, and the electrostriction constant of poly(vinylidene fluoride)

A new device for measuring the electrostriction constant of polymer films is described. Observed values for various polymers except poly(vinylidene fluoride) and poly(methyl methacrylate) agree well with those calculated from the Clausius-Mosotti equation. Elongational piezoelectricity, the pyroelectric current, and the electrostriction constant are measured for undrawn and roll-drawn poly(vinylidene fluoride) films. The piezoelectricity and pyroelectric current are attributed to space charges antisymmetrically distributed along thickness direction of the film for two reasons: (1) the polarity coincides between these two phenomena for all specimens, and (2) the piezoelectricity and the electrostriction constant have the same anisotropy for drawn films. Similarity of signs between piezoelectricity and pyroelectric current is observed also in poly(vinyl chloride) films. The electrical behavior of poly(vinylidene fluoride) is interpreted in terms of the ferroelectric nature of the β-form crystal.     

Preparation and application of polystyrene‐grafted ZnO nanoparticles

The precursor of ZnO was prepared by precipitation and ZnO nanoparticles were obtained by calcination afterwards. Poly(styrene) (PSt) was grafted onto the ZnO nanoparticles in a non‐aqueous suspension to reduce the aggregation among nanoparticles and to improve the compatibility between nanoparticles and the organic matter. The obtained samples were characterized by X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), zeta potential measurement, lipophilic degree (LD) test, photocatalytic experiments, sedimentation test, and contact angle measurement. The LD of composite particles after a high‐temperature treatment was stable. The photoluminescence of PSt‐grafted ZnO nanoparticles was observed by naked eyes and was recorded using a digital camera. The ZnO nanoparticles were used to reinforce poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) films and the mechanical and electric properties of the films were also measured. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evidence for an influence of local dipole excitations in thermal desorption

Ferroelectric crystalline copolymer films of vinylidene fluoride with trifluoroethylene (70%:30%) strongly interact with the dipoles of adsorbed and absorbed water molecules. This interaction can be probed with laser-assisted thermal desorption techniques. The UV light enhancement of water desorption is strongly light polarization dependent. The electronic structure of the ferroelectric copolymer films of vinylidene fluoride with trifluoroethylene films is locally altered with incident UV radiation suggesting metastable excited states that may involve dipole reorientation.     

Effect of poly(ethylene glycol) on the dielectric properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride)/BiFeO<Subscript>3</Subscript>/poly(ethylene glycol) composite films for electronic applications

In the present work a series of poly(vinylidene fluoride)/BiFeO₃/poly(ethylene glycol) composite films were prepared by solvent casting method with poly(vinylidene fluoride) as polymer matrix, bismuth ferrite as ceramic filler and poly(ethylene glycol) as binding agent as well as enhancer. The structural analysis of the composite films by X-ray diffraction confirms that the composites have a distorted rhombohedral structure. The micro-structural analysis shows that the use of poly(ethylene glycol)in the composite films enhances the homogeneity as well as compatibility of BiFeO₃ particles within the poly(vinylidene fluoride) matrix. The dielectric and electrical study done by impedance analyzer reveals that with an increase in poly(ethylene glycol) concentration, there is a subsequent increase in dielectric constant as well as AC electrical conductivity. Finally, the ferroelectric behavior of the composite confirms that the ferroelectric properties of the composites are enhanced by the addition of BiFeO₃ with an increase in poly(ethylene glycol) concentrations. These preliminary results give an idea for possible applications of this type of composites in the field of electronic applications.     

Broadband dielectric characterization of piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride)thin films between 278 K and 308 K

This work describes the dielectric properties of piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) thin films in the frequency and temperature ranges relevant for usual applications. We measured the isothermal dielectric relaxation spectra of commercial piezoelectric PVDF thin films between 10 Hz to 10 MHz, at several temperatures from 278 K to 308 K. Measurements were made for samples in mechanically free and clamped conditions, in the direction of the poling field (perpendicular to the film). We found that the imaginary part of the dielectric relaxation spectra of free and clamped PVDF samples is dominated by a peak, above 100 kHz, that can be characterized by a Havriliak-Negami function. The characteristic time follows an Arrhenius dependence on temperature. Moreover, the spectra of the free PVDF samples show two additional peaks at low frequencies which are associated with mechanical relaxation processes. Our results are important for the characterization of piezoelectric PVDF, particularly after the stretching and poling processes in thin films, and for the design and characterization of a broad range of ultrasonic transducers.     

Electron spin resonance spectra of polymers during fluorination

ESR spectra characteristic of peroxy radicals appeared rapidly in all of eleven hydrogen-containing polymers examined when treated with dilute fluorine. These radicals presumably result from the reaction of hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon radicals, existing at undetectably low steady-state concentrations, with the oxygen impurity content of commercial fluorine. In poly(vinylidene fluoride) films of thickness 11 and 58 μm the radical contents were nearly proportional to surface area rather than volume, in agreement with earlier reports of a shallow depth of penetration. Some polymers exhibited also or exclusively a broad spectral component, varying in character with the polymer; examples are polystyrene, polyethylene, poly (vinyl chloride), poly(vinylidene chloride), polyoctafluoropentadiene, polyhexafluoropropene, and a fluorinated graphite. The broad spectral component did not react with ordinary radical scavengers such as propylene and oxygen, and is probably not due to a fluorocarbon radical but to unknown transition metal fluorides.     

FTIR-ATR studies of drawing and poling in polymer bilaminate films

A large increase in the remnant polarization of drawn and poled poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVF₂)/nylon 11 bilaminates compared with the individual films observed in other studies provides the motivation for the examination of dipole orientation in variously treated single and bilaminate films with FTIR-ATR spectroscopy. Four ATR spectra are collected from each surface using two sample orientations and two light polarizations for each incident light angle. The incident light angle is varied to obtain information about the change in structure with depth. Computer simulations of the experimental optics using anisotropic optical constants aides in the interpretation of experimental results. As the result of simple one-way drawing in PVF₂ and nylon 11, anisotropy in dipole orientation is observed in the plane transverse to the draw direction. In both single and bilaminate films, the average direction of the amide plane in nylon 11 and the CF₂ dipoles in PVF₂ resides in the plane of the film, perpendicular to the subsequent poling field direction as a result of one-way drawing. The transverse plane orientation is depth dependent in nylon 11 in both single and bilaminate films and is attributed to a surface-induced effect. Poling fields of 1.6 MV/cm produce large differences between the surfaces of single films and the bilaminates. At the interior interface of the drawn and poled bilaminates, the PVF₂ and nylon 11 dipoles important in polarization appear to be random. The structural implications of this as well as other observations from the spectra are interpreted in terms of the large remnant bulk polarization in the poled bilaminate. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Characterization of PVDF membranes by vibrational spectroscopy

In order to investigate the effectiveness of vibrational spectroscopy in the characterization of polymeric membranes, several poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membranes with different porous structures were prepared by the phase inversion process using different casting solvents. An accurate analysis of the Fourier transform Raman (FT-Raman) and the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra was performed for each sample and the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results were noted. To highlight the specific problems related to porosity and surface roughness in the acquisition of spectra by different sampling techniques, the attenuated total reflection (ATR) and photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) spectra were compared with corresponding spectra obtained from dense films. A detailed analysis of these spectra highlighted their ability in determining the differences in the polymer structure between the two membrane sides. This indicates that (considering the results given by all the different techniques) thorough qualitative membrane characterization can generally be achieved. Moreover, the good quality spectra of the PVDF membrane provide information on a portion of material which depends on its structure, highlighting the usefulness of FTIR-PAS in studying porous materials which, as a rule, give low quality infrared spectra when other sampling techniques are used. However, the complex and inhomogeneous structure of these materials can make quantitative analysis more, or less, difficult.     

Polyaniline composites: improving the electrochemical properties by template synthesis

We have been exploring the idea of using the heterogeneous porosity of inorganic (sol-gel silica) and organic (poly(vinylidene fluoride)) films as a template for the preparation of polyaniline composites. The large size pore distribution (~2.5–800 nm) in both template matrices results in a part of the polyaniline growing more ordered than in films synthesized without spatial restriction. Small-angle X-ray scattering and scanning electron microscopy experiments were done to determine the extreme values of the pore diameters. Using other experimental techniques, including cyclic voltammetry, UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance and chronopotentiometry, we concluded that the electrochemical properties of polyaniline, such as oxidation and reduction charges, diffusion coefficient and charge-discharge capacity, are improved in these composites. Electronic Publication     

Fluorination of polyhydrofluoroethylenes. II. Formation of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids on the surface region of poly(vinylidene fluoride) film by oxyfluorination,fluorination, and hydrolysis

Oxyfluorination and postfluorination behaviors of poly(vinylidene fluoride) films, as well as hydrolysis of the films treated so far, have been studied by infrared (IR) spectrometry. By exposing the polymer film to a mixture of oxygen and fluorine at about 90°C acyl fluoride groups attendant on the scission of the polymer chains were formed. The oxyfluorinated molecules could be further perfluorinated with fluorine alone at about 90°C, leaving many of the acyl fluoride groups. When the properly oxyfluorinated and postfluorinated film was further treated with a hot 6M sodium hydroxide solution the opaque layer of perfluoroalkyl sodium carboxylate of high molecular weight was formed on the surface of the film, to about 3 μm in thickness, which behaved as a cation exchanger. This new type of cation exchanger of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid was significantly more acidic than the usual methacrylic acid exchanger. It was able to adsorb the sodium ions from a neutral sodium chloride solution up to about 70% of the exchange capacity and to keep the ions stable while washing them with water, though it could be regenerated to the hydrogen form with a dilute acetic acid solution. The nature of the new ion exchanger has been examined in some detail by IR spectrometry with Li⁺, Na⁺, and Cs⁺ ions.     

Polarization and orientational order in polymer ferroelectric films based on vinylidene fluoride

Phase transitions and the development of orientational order are studied for three-dimensional polymer systems with the anisotropy of local intra- and interchain orientational-deformation interactions of chains with the dipole-type potential. In the proposed model of chains composed of elastically deformed segments with a fixed mean-square length (in the modified model of Gaussian subchains), there is a certain critical temperature at which the second-order phase transition from the isotropic state to the orientationally ordered state occurs. The temperature dependences of the parameter of the dipole order for thick films are calculated, and these dependences are compared with the corresponding dependences within the mean-field approximation according to the Ising model for ferromagnetics and within the Langevin continuum model for ferroelectric materials as well as with the experimental data on the thermal depolarization in the films based on the vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene copolymer. The order parameter is calculated as a function of the film thickness (the length of chains) under certain boundary conditions imposed on film ends, and the calculated values are compared with the values predicted by the phenomenological theory and with the experimental data on the polarization distribution in the ferroelectric films based on vinylidene fluoride.     

聚偏氟乙烯的辐射交联及其交联度的XPS表征

本文首次用XPS研究了聚偏氟乙烯的辐射交联机理,交联度的XPS表征。计算出聚偏氟乙烯的β值为0.7,发现聚偏氟乙烯的辐射交联的溶胶分数与辐照剂量的关系符合我们提出的通式^[1]。用XPS方法求得聚偏氟乙烯的凝胶化剂量为1.59mrad。     

Structures of palmitoyl-L and DL-lysine monolayers at the air-water interface--polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopic study

Polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRAS) was applied to measure the IR spectra of palmitoyl-DL-lysine (L-PL) and palmitoyl-DL-lysine (DL-PL) at the air-water interface. The spectra in the amide I and II regions were simulated by using the extinction coefficients of the amide I and II bands of L-PL and DL-PL determined by the analyses of the IR external reflection spectra of the Langmuir-Blodget (LB) films prepared on a Ge plate (Yasukawa et al. J. Mol. Struct. 2005, 735-736, 53), indicating the angle between the plane of the secondary amide group (the amide plane) and the surface normal in the L-PL monolayer to be about 20 degrees and the angle in the DL-PL monolayer to be about 37 degrees. Comparison of the tilt angles with the corresponding angles in the LB films (about 20 degrees for the LB film of L-PL; about 49 degrees for the LB film of DL-PL) indicated that, upon being transferred to the solid substrate from the air-water interface, the L-PL monolayer keeps the orientation of the amide plane virtually unchanged, while the DL-PL monolayer changes the orientation appreciably to a horizontal direction. The orientation change of the amide plane was interpreted as due to the accommodation of irregularly oriented palmitoyl groups into the LB films of DL-PL on the solid substrate.     

碱处理PVDF膜对制备高电导率质子交换膜的作用

燃料电池是一种高能量密度、低污染的新型能源. 质子交换膜是燃料电池的核心组件之一. 在对聚偏氟乙烯(PVDF)膜进行了碱处理改性的基础上制备了高电导率的聚偏氟乙烯接枝聚苯乙烯磺酸(PVDF-g-PSSA)质子交换膜, 对碱处理后的PVDF膜进行了傅立叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)、傅立叶变换拉曼光谱(FT-Raman)及电子自旋共振(ESR)分析. 振动光谱显示在处理后的膜中存在共轭碳碳双键. 首次用ESR检测到碱处理后的PVDF膜中形成了自由基, 其浓度在10¹⁶ spin/g. 研究表明碱处理引起的膜结构变化有利于接枝反应的进行, 对提高所合成的质子交换膜的电导率有重要作用, 电导率提高一个数量级, 至6.40×10^－2 S/cm.