Comparative study: the effect of annealing conditions on the properties of P3HT:PCBM blends

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dc.contributor.authorMotaung, David E.
dc.contributor.authorMalgas, Gerald
dc.contributor.authorNkosi, Steven S.
dc.contributor.authorMhlongo, Gugu H.
dc.contributor.authorMwakikunga, Bonex W.
dc.contributor.authorMalwela, Thomas
dc.contributor.authorArendse, Christopher
dc.contributor.authorMuller, Theophillus F. G.
dc.contributor.authorCummings, Franscious R.
dc.date.accessioned2018-01-09T12:19:52Z
dc.date.available2018-01-09T12:19:52Z
dc.date.issued2013
dc.description.abstractThis paper presents a detailed study on the role of various annealing treatments on organic poly(3-hexylthiophene) and [6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester blends under different experimental conditions. A combination of analytical tools is used to study the alteration of the phase separation, structure and photovoltaic properties of the P3HT:PCBM blend during the annealing process. Results showed that the thermal annealing yields PCBM ‘‘needle-like’’ crystals and that prolonged heat treatment leads to extensive phase separation, as demonstrated by the growth in the size and quantity of PCBM crystals. The substrate annealing method demonstrated an optimal morphology by eradicating and suppressing the formation of fullerene clusters across the film, resulting in longer P3HT fibrils with smaller diameter. Improved optical constants, PL quenching and a decrease in the P3HT optical bad-gap were demonstrated for the substrate annealed films due to the limited diffusion of the PCBM molecules. An effective strategy for determining an optimized morphology through substrate annealing treatment is therefore revealed for improved device efficiency.en_US
dc.description.accreditationWeb of Science
dc.identifier.citationMotaung, D.E. et al. (2013). Comparative study: the effect of annealing conditions on the properties of P3HT:PCBM blends. Journal of materials Science, 46: 1763 – 1778en_US
dc.identifier.issn0022-2461
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10853-012-6937-6
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10566/3367
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.privacy.showsubmitterFALSE
dc.publisherSpringer Verlagen_US
dc.rightsThis is the author-version of the article published online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10853-012-6937-6
dc.status.ispeerreviewedTRUE
dc.subjectAnnealingen_US
dc.subjectPhotovoltaic propertiesen_US
dc.subjectP3HT:PCBMen_US
dc.subjectCrystalsen_US
dc.subjectMoleculesen_US
dc.titleComparative study: the effect of annealing conditions on the properties of P3HT:PCBM blendsen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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