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.     

A polymer thin-film technique to study the micromorphology of core/shell latexes

A series of poly(styrene)/poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) core-shell latexes were synthesized by seeded emulsion polymerization. The dried latex was dissolved in toluene and then cast on the surface of water to form a very thin film (60–90 nm). Phase separation in the thin film was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Electron micrographs of these thin films yielded fine structure and interesting morphology that was unattainable by ultramicrotoming of the corresponding compression-molded specimens. Glass transition temperatures and percent grafted polystyrene were correlated with the TEM results. As grafting increases, mixing of the two phases improves, with the resulting T_g value being between the two T_g's of poly(styrene) and poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile).     

Effect of chloroform on the structure and gas-separation properties of poly(ether imides)

The FTIR spectra of poly(ether imide) films prepared from their chloroform solutions were recorded in a wide temperature interval. The cast films were shown to contain residual solvent. This residual solvent existed in films as unbound chloroform that may be removed by heating to 60–70°C and as bound chloroform that is involved in complex formation with polymers and may be removed by heating at temperatures close to their glass transition temperatures (180°C). Quantum-chemical calculations were performed for structures that model fragments and monomer units of poly(ether imides), as well as their complexes with chloroform. Chloroform was shown to be capable of preferential binding with an oxygen atom in a Ph-O-Ph′ fragment via hydrogen bonds. In this case, the conformational set of poly(ether imide) chains is changed. The above evidence is invoked to explain changes in transport characteristics with time for poly(ether imide) films cast from chloroform solutions.     

Semicrystalline morphology in thin films of poly(3-hexylthiophene)

The thermodynamic phase behavior and the morphology in thin films of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) has been studied using calorimetry, X-ray scattering, and scanning force microscopy (AFM). Around 225 °C a phase transition from the crystalline state to a layered, liquid crystalline structure occurs in regioregular P3HT, while the regiorandom counterpart material is disordered at all temperatures and displays a glass transition temperature T_g–3 °C. Regioregular P3HT is semicrystalline and forms needle or plate like crystallites which in solution cast thin films are oriented with respect to the substrate. Films produced by spin coating display a non-equilibrium structure with reduced order and orientation. Annealing of these films in the liquid crystalline state leads to the formation of a morphology similar to the one observed in solution cast films.

Cell attachment and proliferation on poly(carbonate urethanes) with various degrees of nanophase separation

In this work, we synthesized six 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI)-based poly(carbonate urethanes) (PCU) by using the macrodiol poly(1,6-hexyl, 1,2-ethyl carbonate) diol (MW = 2,017) in different molar ratios to MDI. The bulk and surface properties of cast PCU films were analyzed. The glass transition temperatures measured by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and surface images obtained from atomic force microscopy (AFM) indicated that these PCU had various degrees of nanophase separation that changed with the time and film casting temperatures. The degree of nanophase separation correlated very well with endothelial cell attachment and proliferation on PCU.     

Low-temperature deposition of tin(IV) oxide films for thin-film power sources

Thin films of tin(IV) oxide were deposited in a Picosun R-150 installation from tetraethyltin using remote inductively coupled plasma at temperatures lower than 200°C with the aim of developing a material for thin-film current sources. The thickness and morphology of the films were studied by spectral ellipsometry and scanning electron microscopy. Both the thickness and roughness of the films considerably decrease with an increase in the synthesis temperature in the interval 100–180°C. The films are X-ray amorphous. As shown by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, tin in the films is in oxidation state +4.     

Studies of magnetic resonance phenomena in polymers. I. The effects of free volume and segmental mobility on the motion of nitroxide spin probes and labels in poly(methyl methacrylate)

Thin films of spin-probed and spin-labeled poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) have been examined by electron spin resonance (ESR) at X-band frequency (9.2 GH_z) and at various temperatures. Direct spectral evidence is presented to indicate that the composite ESR spectra observed in a certain temperature range originate from two states of distinctly different mobility, one with slow motions corresponding to a glassy state and the other with fast motions corresponding to a liquidlike state. The coexistence of these two states at temperatures considerably below the glass transition temperature can be explained as a result of the effect of free volume in a solid polymeric glass.     

Study of the morphology,thermal and mechanical properties of irradiated isotactic polypropylene films

Thin films of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) are of great economical importance and their production is quite challenging due to the need of very fast uniaxial or biaxial expansion. During the expansion, critical problems usually arise, like structure disruption, shear thinning, causing material, energy and time losses. This work aims to study the surface morphology and compare the thermal, mechanical properties of PP films irradiated by gamma ray in an acetylene atmosphere after uniaxial expansion. PP films were made by compression molding at 190 °C with cooling in water at room temperature and irradiated by gamma ray, at (5, 12.5 and 20 kGy) under acetylene atmosphere. After irradiation the samples were submitted to thermal treatment at 90 °C for 1 h and then stretched out at 170 °C using an Instron machine. The surface of PP films, pristine and modified, (i.e., irradiated), was studied using optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The changes in morphology, crystallinity and tensile parameters, like yield stress, rupture stress and elongation strain of the PP with irradiation dose were investigated. The results showed some evidences of gel formation due to crosslinking and/or long chain branching induced by radiation.     

Double-Gyroid Network Morphology in Tapered Diblock Copolymers

We report the formation of a double-gyroid network morphology in normal-tapered poly(isoprene-b-isoprene/styrene-b-styrene) [P(I-IS-S)] and inverse-tapered poly(isoprene-b- styrene/isoprene-b-styrene) [P(I-SI-S)] diblock copolymers. Our tapered diblock copolymers with overall poly(styrene) volume fractions of 0.65 (normal-tapered) and 0.67 (inverse-tapered), and tapered regions comprising 30 volume percent of the total polymer, were shown to self-assemble into the double-gyroid network morphology through a combination of small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The block copolymers were synthesized by anionic polymerization, where the tapered region between the pure poly(isoprene) and poly(styrene) blocks was generated using a semi-batch feed with programmed syringe pumps. The overall composition of these tapered copolymers lies within the expected network-forming region for conventional poly(isoprene-b-styrene) [P(I-S)] diblock copolymers. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) clearly demonstrated that the order-disorder transition temperatures (T(ODT)'s) of the network-forming tapered block copolymers were depressed when compared to the T(ODT) of their non-tapered counterpart, with the P(I-SI-S) showing the greater drop in T(ODT). These results indicate that it is possible to manipulate the copolymer composition profile between blocks in a diblock copolymer, allowing significant control over the T(ODT), while maintaining the ability to form complex network structures.     

High Resolution Tip Enhanced Raman Mapping on Polymer Thin Films

Advanced tip enhanced Raman mapping (TERM) was applied to high resolution chemical identification on nanoscale. Thin poly(methyl methacrylate)/poly(styrene acrylonitrile) (SAN28/PMMA) blend films were measured at different stages of phase separation. New insights into the phase evolution behavior of the thin films were obtained, when the TERM images were compared. An unexpected morphology transition was observed after a few minutes annealing at 250 °C. No surface enrichment of PMMA was observed, differing from the previous reports on a similar well-studied system of SAN33/PMMA. The glass transition temperature, the surface and interfacial tension were found to be the main factors responsible for the phase evolution behavior of SAN28/PMMA films.     

Structure–electrical property study of anisotropic polyaniline films

The relationships of the structure and electrical properties of anisotropic HCl‐doped polyaniline (PANI) films cast from N,N′‐dimethylpropylene urea (DMPU) solutions and stretched to different draw ratios were studied. The anisotropic structure of the stretched PANI films was examined by X‐ray diffraction, near‐infrared wave‐guide coupling, and polarized infrared measurements. The PANI emeraldine base (EB) films cast from DMPU solutions had a single‐phase noncrystalline structure, and stretching of the films did not cause crystallization to occur. The transition moment angles of two weakly absorbing infrared bands were determined, and the Hermans' orientation functions for the PANI EB films were calculated. The PANI films were then doped with HCl, and the electrical properties were determined by impedance spectroscopy. With a specially designed test fixture, the in‐plane and through‐plane impedance was obtained. The conductivity along the stretch direction increased with orientation. The in‐plane conductivity was significantly higher than the through‐plane conductivity. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 823–841, 2003     

Morphology and rheology of peel of model adhesives

The morphology of surfaces produced during peel experiments was studied to increase the understanding of peel phenomena. Thin films of polystyrenes of narrow molecular-weight distribution and a polydisperse polyester on flexible supports were peeled from rigid substrates at temperatures above their glass transitions with equipment that also permitted quenching and preservation of the peeled surfaces which then could be studied by scanning electron microscopy. The results show many types of cavitation including foams and the coalescence of cavities to form fibers. Cavitation occurred throughout and beyond the region of transition from cohesive to interfacial failure where peel force decreased abruptly; however, cavity growth was abruptly restricted as the failure mode changed. The master curves and shift factors obtained in this work provided strong evidence that the quenching used to preserve the peeled surfaces did not introduce large perturbations in the results. The reason was that failure occurred at or close to the heated substrate.     

Crystalline structure and morphology of biaxially oriented polyamide‐11 films

The effect of the uniaxial and biaxial stretching and subsequent solution annealing of extrusion‐cast polyamide‐11 films on the crystalline structure and morphology was investigated with differential scanning calorimetry, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS). The extrusion‐cast polyamide‐11 films exhibited elevations in the glass‐transition and cold‐crystallization temperatures with a constant crystallinity and a constant melting point during aging under room conditions (20–26 °C and 20–31% relative humidity). WAXD and SAXS suggested that chain‐folded lamellae of coexisting α‐ and β‐crystals existed in all the stretched polyamide‐11 films. WAXD pole figures indicated that hydrogen bonds in the hydrogen‐bonded sheets of these two crystalline forms apparently formed between antiparallel chain molecules. The unit cell parameters [a = 9.52 Å, b = 5.35 Å, c = 14.90 Å (chain axis), α = 48.5°, β = 90°, and γ = 74.7° for a triclinic α form and a = 9.52 Å, b = 14.90 Å (chain axis), c = 4.00 Å, α = 90°, β = 67.5°, and γ = 90° for a monoclinic β form] for polyamide‐11 crystals were proposed according to the results of this study and the results of previous investigators. The unit cell parameters of the stretched extrusion‐cast polyamide‐11 films varied, depending on the stretching conditions (the stretch temperature and stretch ratio). As the stretch temperature and stretch ratio were increased, the crystal became more similar to the form described previously and was accompanied by an increase in the long spacing of crystalline lamellae. Annealing the stretched films in a boiling 20% formic acid solution made slightly more perfected crystals. The hydrogen‐bonding α(010) + β(002) planes, which are nearly parallel to both amide group planes and zigzag methylene sequence planes of the biaxially stretched films were found to be parallel to the film surface. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 2624–2640, 2002     

Influence of nanoparticle surface functionalization on the thermal stability of colloidal polystyrene films

The installation of large scale colloidal nanoparticle thin films is of great interest in sensor technology or data storage. Often, such devices are operated at elevated temperatures. In the present study, we investigate the effect of heat treatment on the structure of colloidal thin films of polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles in situ by using the combination of grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and optical ellipsometry. In addition, the samples are investigated with optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). To install large scale coatings on silicon wafers, spin-coating of colloidal pure PS nanoparticles and carboxylated PS nanoparticles is used. Our results indicate that thermal annealing in the vicinity of the glass transition temperature T(g) of pure PS leads to a rapid loss in the ordering of the nanoparticles in spin-coated films. For carboxylated particles, this loss of order is shifted to a higher temperature, which can be useful for applications at elevated temperatures. Our model assumes a softening of the boundaries between the individual colloidal spheres, leading to strong changes in the nanostructure morphology. While the nanostructure changes drastically, the macroscopic morphology remains unaffected by annealing near T(g).     

Study of a new pervaporation membrane Part 2. Performance test and analysis of the new membrane

The compatibility of poly(vinyl alcohol)—chitosan blends was tested and analyzed by their glass transition temperatures with differential scanning calorimetry with a DSC-7 (Epson). Highest selectivity, promising permeability and good mechanical strength for the dehydration of alcohol—water mixtures were obtained at a 4:1 composition of the blend.

The chemical composition, physical structure and morphology of this blended composite membrane were studied by a variety of surface science techniques, including infrared spectrometry (IR), small-angle X-ray diffraction (SAXRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The surface investigation is needed for the study of the blended composite membrane, and the results confirm well with the characteristics of the new membrane.     

Glass transitions in hydrogen-bonded polymer complexes

Mutual precipitates of poly (N, N-dimethyl acrylamide) and poly (4-hydroxystyrene) were collected from dioxane, methanol, or acetone. The glass transition (T_g) temperatures of the precipitates are higher than the weight-average values. Clear films cast from dimethylformamide solutions have lower T_g values. Complexation also occurred between poly (ethyl oxazoline) and poly (4-hydroxystyrene) in dioxane and between poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) and poly (4-hydroxystyrene) in methanol. Again, the glass transition temperatures of the precipitates are higher than the values for the blend films. The ΔC_p values associated with the glass transitions of the complexes are smaller than those of the blends having the same compositions. Negative excess heat capacities of mixing have been observed for several precipitates.     

Structural transitions of nanocrystalline domains in regioregular poly(3‐hexyl thiophene) thin films

The effects of solution processing and thermal annealing on thin film morphology and crystalline structures of regioregular poly(3‐hexyl thiophene) (RR P3HT) are studied in terms of molecular weight (M_w). Using grazing‐incidence X‐ray diffraction, π‐conjugated planes in drop‐cast films from chloroform solutions are found to be preferentially oriented parallel to the substrates regardless of M_w. However, the mesoscale nanocrystalline morphology of the drop‐cast films is significantly affected by M_w, exhibiting a distinctive morphological transition from short nanorods to long nanofibrils above a critical number‐averaged M_w (～ 3.6 kDa). This is probably due to the change in a conformation change from an extended‐chain to a folded‐chain, as M_w of RR P3HT increases. In contrast, spin‐casting of high M_w RR P3HT produces less ordered films with a lower crystallinity and mixed parallel/perpendicular orientations of π‐conjugated planes. The crystallinity and parallel π‐conjugated orientation of RR P3HT in spin‐cast films could be improved by thermal treatments at high‐temperatures either (1) above the glass transition temperature or (2) above the melting temperature of RR 3PHT followed by recrystallization upon cooling under vacuum. However, the charge mobility of the spin‐cast films for a field‐effect transistor application is still lower than that of the drop‐cast films. This would be attributed to the chain oxidation and the development of distinct grain boundaries between RR P3HT nanofibrils during the thermal treatments. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 1303–1312, 2007     

Morphology and Crystal Structure of Wholly Aromatic All-Para Polyamide-Hydrazide Polymers

The morphology of some amide-hydrazide polymers of the type useful for high-modulus X-500 class fibers has been characterized by transmission electron microscopy of thin films crystallized from dilute solution. Selected area electron diffraction was used to characterize the crystallinity and crystal structure of the thin films and precipitated polymer. The films were cast from concentrated solutions and crystallized by heating the films. The results of these studies revealed several unique features relative to the crystal structure of the all-para polymers. Thin films of the crystallized polymer showed a distinctive crystalline texture—the molecular chains were found to be preferentially oriented parallel to the film plane and randomly oriented about an axis normal to the film plane. Electron diffraction measurements showed equatorial reflection maxima at tilt angles of = 30, ±48, and =59 when the films were tilted on an axis parallel to the film plane. From these results a tentative crystal unit cell and theoretical crystal density were determined: a = 8.5 [Agrave], b = 4.9 Å, c (chain axis) = 29.6 Å, p (density) =1.51 g/cc. The value a/b = 1.735, which is very near 3¹/², implies essentially hexagonal packing of the chains. Crystallization from dilute solution revealed lamellar structures resembling “single crystals” in the electron microscope similar to those observed in other crystalline polymers. However, in contrast to these other polymers, these “crystals” are not likely to contain folded chains because of the very rigid nature of the all-para poiyamide-hydrazide.     

Poly(caprolactone triol) as plasticizer agent for cellulose acetate films: influence of the preparation procedure and plasticizer content on the physico‐chemical properties

The influence of the plasticizer content and film preparation procedure on the morphology, density, thermal and mechanical properties of cellulose acetate (CA) films plasticized with poly‐(caprolactone triol) (PCL‐T), were studied. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal mechanical analysis (TMA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD) and infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) techniques were used. The films were prepared by dry‐casting CA and CA/PCL‐T in acetone or acetone/water solutions, which produced transparent and opaque films, respectively. In contrast to the transparent films, which were dense, the opaque films presented a porous morphology. However, the presence of PCL‐T reduced the opaque film porosity, increasing, in consequence, its bulk density. The TMA results revealed that PCL‐T reduced the glass transition temperature more significantly in the transparent than in opaque films. Only the transparent CA/PCL‐T films presented a melting temperature, that reduced with higher concentrations of PCL‐T, suggesting a higher ordering (crystallinity) when the films were prepared in the absence of water, as observed from WAXD curves. The mechanical properties also showed that the transparent films were more soft and tough than the opaque films. In summary, PCL‐T was a good plasticizer agent for CA films due to the presence of hydrogen bonds between the components (FT‐IR spectra). The presence of water in the dry casting process has a significant effect mainly on film morphology and mechanical properties. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.