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  • Microstructure formation in...
    Treat, Neil D; Nekuda Malik, Jennifer A; Reid, Obadiah; Yu, Liyang; Shuttle, Christopher G; Rumbles, Garry; Hawker, Craig J; Chabinyc, Michael L; Smith, Paul; Stingelin, Natalie

    Nature materials, 07/2013, Volume: 12, Issue: 7
    Journal Article

    Additives, including nucleating agents, have been used to regulate the solidification process of (semi-)crystalline polymer solids and thus control both their crystallite dimensions and shape. Here, we demonstrate that minute amounts (0.1-1 wt%) of commercially available nucleating agents can be used to efficiently manipulate the solidification kinetics of a wide range of organic semiconductors--including poly(3-alkylthiophene)s, the fullerene derivative 6,6-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) and 6,13-bis(triisopropyl-silylethynyl) (TIPS) pentacene--when processed from the melt, solution or solid state, without adversely affecting the semiconductors' electronic properties. Heterogeneous nucleation increases the temperature of and rate of crystallization of poly(3-alkylthiophene)s, permits patterning of crystallites at pre-defined locations in PCBM, and minimizes dewetting of films of TIPS-pentacene formed by inkjet printing. Nucleating agents thus make possible the fabrication of thin-film transistors with uniform electrical characteristics at high yield.