Deciphering the Structure of Push-Pull Conjugated Polymer Aggregates in Solution and Film

Fuente: arXiv
Guardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Chaney, Thomas P., Mahajan, Christine LaPorte, Ghasemi, Masoud, Levin, Andrew J., White, Keith P., Milner, Scott T., Gomez, Enrique D., Toney, Michael F.
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2025
Materias:
Acceso en línea:
Etiquetas: Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
_version_ 1866917017546653696
author Chaney, Thomas P.
Mahajan, Christine LaPorte
Ghasemi, Masoud
Levin, Andrew J.
White, Keith P.
Milner, Scott T.
Gomez, Enrique D.
Toney, Michael F.
author_facet Chaney, Thomas P.
Mahajan, Christine LaPorte
Ghasemi, Masoud
Levin, Andrew J.
White, Keith P.
Milner, Scott T.
Gomez, Enrique D.
Toney, Michael F.
contents The morphology of conjugated polymer films is highly tunable, influencing their performance in organic electronics. Specifically, molecular packing or crystal structure strongly influence electronic processes such as light absorption and charge transfer. However, the unit cells of high-performance electron donor polymers remain unknown, limiting the understanding of how processing affects structure and device performance. This study characterizes the aggregate structure of PM6-type push-pull polymers using X-ray scattering, cryogenic electron microscopy, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. A novel forward simulation approach linking grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) with MD resolves a monoclinic unit cell that accurately describes PM6-type polymer aggregates in both thin films and casting solutions. Intimate pi-pi stacking between donor and acceptor units emerges from this unit cell. Analysis of experimental GIWAXS using this unit cell quantifies sliding disorder in these aggregates, which may impact device performance. The shape and internal structure of solution aggregates are also identified in chlorobenzene. These findings enhance our understanding of PM6-type polymer packing, outline a strategy for elucidating the crystal structure of weakly ordered materials, and provide an opportunity to control optoelectronic performance through aggregate formation in PM6 and other push-pull conjugated polymers.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2504_11359
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Deciphering the Structure of Push-Pull Conjugated Polymer Aggregates in Solution and Film
Chaney, Thomas P.
Mahajan, Christine LaPorte
Ghasemi, Masoud
Levin, Andrew J.
White, Keith P.
Milner, Scott T.
Gomez, Enrique D.
Toney, Michael F.
Materials Science
Soft Condensed Matter
The morphology of conjugated polymer films is highly tunable, influencing their performance in organic electronics. Specifically, molecular packing or crystal structure strongly influence electronic processes such as light absorption and charge transfer. However, the unit cells of high-performance electron donor polymers remain unknown, limiting the understanding of how processing affects structure and device performance. This study characterizes the aggregate structure of PM6-type push-pull polymers using X-ray scattering, cryogenic electron microscopy, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. A novel forward simulation approach linking grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) with MD resolves a monoclinic unit cell that accurately describes PM6-type polymer aggregates in both thin films and casting solutions. Intimate pi-pi stacking between donor and acceptor units emerges from this unit cell. Analysis of experimental GIWAXS using this unit cell quantifies sliding disorder in these aggregates, which may impact device performance. The shape and internal structure of solution aggregates are also identified in chlorobenzene. These findings enhance our understanding of PM6-type polymer packing, outline a strategy for elucidating the crystal structure of weakly ordered materials, and provide an opportunity to control optoelectronic performance through aggregate formation in PM6 and other push-pull conjugated polymers.
title Deciphering the Structure of Push-Pull Conjugated Polymer Aggregates in Solution and Film
topic Materials Science
Soft Condensed Matter
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.11359