Structure property relationship and thermal stability of organic photovoltaic cells

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dc.contributor.advisorMalgas, Gerald F.
dc.contributor.advisorArendse, Christopher
dc.contributor.authorMotaung, David Edmond
dc.contributor.otherDept. of Physics
dc.contributor.otherFaculty of Science
dc.date.accessioned2013-08-14T14:01:07Z
dc.date.accessioned2024-05-14T13:26:37Z
dc.date.available2011/06/13 07:21
dc.date.available2011/12/01
dc.date.available2013-08-14T14:01:07Z
dc.date.available2024-05-14T13:26:37Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.descriptionPhilosophiae Doctor - PhDen_US
dc.description.abstractIn this thesis, regioregularpoly( 3-hexylthiophene) (rr-P3HT) polymer was used as a light absorption and electron donating material, while the C60 fullerene and its derivative [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) were used as electron acceptor materials. The effect of solvent to control the degree of mixing of the polymer and fullerene components, as well as the domain size and charge transport properties of the blends were investigated in detail using P3HT:C60 films. The photo-physical, structural and electrical transport properties of the polymer blends were carried out according to their ratios. A distinctive photoluminescence (PL) quenching effect was observed indicating a photo-induced electron transfer. In this thesis, the effect of solvents on the crystallization and interchain interaction of P3HT and C60 fullerene films were studied using XRD, UV-vis, PL, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. The polymer blends formed with non-aromatic solvents exhibited an improved crystallinity and polymer morphology than that formed with aromatic solvents. An improved ordering was demonstrated in the polymer films spin coated from non-aromatic solvents. This indicates that the limited solubility of rr P3HT in a marginal solvent such as non-aromatic solvents can offer a strategy to obtain highly ordered crystal structures and lead directly to optimal morphologies on the films.en_US
dc.description.countrySouth Africa
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10566/15006
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of the Western Capeen_US
dc.rights.holderUniversity of the Western Capeen_US
dc.subjectPoly(3-hexylthiophene)en_US
dc.subjectFullereneen_US
dc.subjectPolymer solar cellsen_US
dc.subjectMorphologyen_US
dc.subjectQuenchingen_US
dc.subjectCrystallinityen_US
dc.subjectAnnealingen_US
dc.subjectThermal transitionen_US
dc.subjectPhase separationen_US
dc.subjectStabilityen_US
dc.subjectThermal degradationen_US
dc.titleStructure property relationship and thermal stability of organic photovoltaic cellsen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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