Parnell, A.J., Cadby, A.J., Dunbar, A.D.F. et al. (5 more authors) (2016) Physical Mechanisms Responsible for the Water-Induced Degradation of PC61BM P3HT Photovoltaic Thin Films. Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, 54 (2). 141 -146. ISSN 0887-6266
Abstract
We show that [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) at the surface of thin film blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):PC61BM can be patterned by water. Using a series of heating and cooling steps, water droplets condense onto the blend film surface. This is possible due to the liquid-like, water swollen layer of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate. Breath pattern water deformation and subsequent drying on the film surface results in isolated PC61BM structures, showing that migration of PC61BM takes place. This was confirmed by selective wavelength illumination to spatially map the photoluminescence from the P3HT and PC61BM. Within a device, redistribution of the surface PC61BM into aggregates would be catastrophic, as it would markedly alter device performance. We also postulate that repeated volume change of the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate layer by water swelling may be, in part, responsible for the delamination failure mechanism in thin film solar cells devices.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. This is an author produced version of a paper subsequently published in Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | nanocomposites; Fullerenes; conjugated polymers; degradation; neutron reflectivity |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Engineering (Sheffield) > Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (Sheffield) The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > Department of Physics and Astronomy (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 12 Jan 2016 16:21 |
Last Modified: | 30 Jun 2017 21:47 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/polb.23902 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1002/polb.23902 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:93404 |