Phase Behavior of Solvent Vapor Annealed Thin Films of PS-b-P4VP(PDP) Supramolecules

We systematically studied the influence of solvent vapor annealing on the molecular ordering, morphologies, and charge transport properties of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) thin films embedded with preformed crystalline P3HT nanowires (NWs). Solvent vapor annealing (SVA) with chloroform (CF) was found to profoundly impact on the structural and morphological changes, and thus on the charge transport characteristics, of the P3HT-NW-embedded P3HT films. With increased annealing time, the density of crystalline P3HT NWs was increased within the resultant films, and also intra- and intermolecular interactions of the corresponding films were significantly improved. As a result, the P3HT-NW-embedded P3HT films annealed with CF vapor for 20 min resulted in a maximized charge carrier mobility of ~0.102 cm2 V−1 s−1, which is higher than that of pristine P3HT films by 4.4-fold (μ = ~0.023 cm2 V−1 s−1).

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Phase Behavior of Binary Polymer Blends in Thin Films

Springer Proceedings in Physics - Computer Simulation Studies in Condensed-Matter Physics XIV ◽

10.1007/978-3-642-59406-9_29 ◽

2002 ◽

pp. 217-234

Author(s):

M. Müller

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Polymer Blends ◽

Phase Behavior ◽

Binary Polymer

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Self-Assembly of Supramolecular Thin Films: Role of Small Molecule and Solvent Vapor Annealing

Macromolecules ◽

10.1021/acs.macromol.8b02460 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 52 (2) ◽

pp. 639-648 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Katherine Evans ◽

Ting Xu

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Small Molecule ◽

Self Assembly ◽

Solvent Vapor ◽

Vapor Annealing ◽

Solvent Vapor Annealing

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Temperature-Controlled Solvent Vapor Annealing of Thin Block Copolymer Films

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym11081312 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 1312 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Xiao Cheng ◽

Alexander Böker ◽

Larisa Tsarkova

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Block Copolymer ◽

Thermal Annealing ◽

Saturated Vapor ◽

Polymer Chains ◽

Special Focus ◽

Solvent Vapor ◽

Copolymer Films ◽

Vapor Annealing ◽

Solvent Vapor Annealing

Solvent vapor annealing is as an effective and versatile alternative to thermal annealing to equilibrate and control the assembly of polymer chains in thin films. Here, we present scientific and practical aspects of the solvent vapor annealing method, including the discussion of such factors as non-equilibrium conformational states and chain dynamics in thin films in the presence of solvent. Homopolymer and block copolymer films have been used in model studies to evaluate the robustness and the reproducibility of the solvent vapor processing, as well as to assess polymer-solvent interactions under confinement. Advantages of utilizing a well-controlled solvent vapor environment, including practically interesting regimes of weakly saturated vapor leading to poorly swollen states, are discussed. Special focus is given to dual temperature control over the set-up instrumentation and to the potential of solvo-thermal annealing. The evaluated insights into annealing dynamics derived from the studies on block copolymer films can be applied to improve the processing of thin films of crystalline and conjugated polymers as well as polymer composite in confined geometries.

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