Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by a reprecipitation method. Hydrothermal processing applied external pressure to the pristine P3HT NPs at temperatures ranging from 60 to 150 °C. Optical absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra for the hydrothermally treated P3HT NPs varied markedly with the processing temperature. With increasing treatment temperature, the ...

We carry out a comprehensive theoretical and experimental study of charge injection in poly 3hexylthiophene P3HT to determine the most likely scenario for metal-insulator transition in this system. We calculate the optical-absorption frequencies corresponding to a polaron and a bipolaron lattice in P3HT. We also analyze the electronic excitations for three possible scenarios under which a first...

We demonstrate the effects of nanostructure geometry on the nanoimprint induced poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) chain alignment and the performance of nanoimprinted photovoltaic devices. Out-of-plane and in-plane grazing incident X-ray diffraction techniques are employed to characterize the nanoimprint induced chain alignment in P3HT nanogratings with different widths, spacings and heigh...

Poly(3-hexylthiophene)-block-polystyrene (P3HT-b-PS) was synthesized by Suzuki coupling reaction between P3HT and PS, prepared by Grignard metathesis polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), respectively. The formation of block copolymer was confirmed by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and NMR. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermogram of block copolymers sho...

Improvement of the photovoltaic efficiency via exposure of organic poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) devices to solvent vapor at room temperature is reported. In situ photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectroscopy, in conjunction with ex situ optical absorption and atomic force microscopy, have been used to provide insight into the nanoscale morphologi...

Developing a better understanding of the evolution of morphology in plastic solar cells is the key to designing new materials and structures that achieve photoconversion effi ciencies greater than 10%. In the most extensively characterized system, the poly(3-hexyl thiophene) (P3HT):[6,6]-phenyl-C 61 -butyricacid-methyl-ester (PCBM) bulk heterojunction, the origins and evolution of the blend mor...

We present molecular dynamics simulations of a ternary blend of P3HT, PCBM and P3HT-grafted silica nanoparticles (SiNP) for applications in polymer-based solar cells. Using coarse-grained models, we study the effect of SiNP on the spatial arrangement of PCBM in P3HT. Our results suggest that addition of SiNP not only alters the morphology of PCBM clusters but also improves the crystallinity of ...

Solution casting using a sacrificial template is a simple technique to fabricate vertical arrays of polymer nanotubes. However, because of their close proximity and high aspect ratios, large capillary forces cause nanotubes to cluster as the array dries; researchers often use special drying techniques to avoid this clustering. Here, we exploit the clustering of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophen...

We theoretically investigate the energetically favorable orientation of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) on self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) using molecular dynamics simulations. The effects of different kinds of SAMs are studied by examining a CH3-terminated SAM with a hydrophobic surface and an NH2-terminated SAM with a hydrophilic surface. We also investigate dynamic behavior of the systems wit...