The Role of Side Chains and Hydration on Mixed Charge Transport in n-Type Polymer Films
byJokubas
Surgailis, Lucas
Q. Flagg, Lee
J. Richter, Victor Druet, Sophie Griggs, David Ohayon, Adam
Marks, Maximilian
Moser, Giovanni
Costantini, Iain McCulloch, Sahika Inal
Introducing ethylene glycol (EG) side chains to a
conjugated polymer backbone is a well-established synthetic strategy for
designing organic mixed ion-electron conductors (OMIECs). However, the impact
that film swelling has on mixed conduction properties has yet to be scoped,
particularly for electron-transporting (n-type) OMIECs. Here, the
authors investigate the effect of the length of branched EG chains on mixed
charge transport of n-type OMIECs based on a
naphthalene-1,4,5,8-tetracarboxylic-diimide-bithiophene backbone. Atomic force
microscopy (AFM), grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS), and
scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) are used to establish the similarities
between the common-backbone films in dry conditions. Electrochemical quartz
crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (EQCM-D) and in situ GIWAXS
measurements reveal stark changes in film swelling properties and
microstructure during electrochemical doping, depending on the side chain
length. It is found that even in the loss of the crystallite content upon
contact with the aqueous electrolyte, the films can effectively transport
charges and that it is rather the high water content that harms the electronic
interconnectivity within the OMIEC films. These results highlight the
importance of controlling water uptake in the films to impede charge transport
in n-type electrochemical devices.