Efficient Film Fabrication and Characterization of Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):Poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)-Metalloporphine Nanocomposite and Its Application as Semiconductor Material.

María Elena Sánchez-Vergara,Ismael Cosme,Daniela González-Verdugo,Leon Hamui

doi:10.3390/polym13224008

Abstract

The use of composite films with semiconductor behavior is an alternative to enhance the efficiency of optoelectronic devices. Composite films of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and metalloporphines (MPs; M = Co, Cu, Pd) have been prepared by spin-coating. The PEDOT:PSS-MP films were treated with isopropanol (IPA) vapor to modify the polymer structure from benzoid to quinoid. The quinoid structure promotes improvements in the optical and electrical behavior of films. The composite films’ morphology and structure were characterized using infrared and Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Composite films were analyzed for their optical behavior by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy: at λ < 450 nm, the films become transparent, indicating the capacity to be used as transparent electrodes in optoelectronic devices. At λ ≥ 450 nm, the absorbance in the films increased significantly. The CoP showed an 8 times larger current density compared to the CuP. A light induced change in the J-V curves was observed, and it is larger for the CoP. The conductivity values yielded between 1.23 × 102 and 1.92 × 103 Scm−1 and were higher in forward bias.

Highlights

Organic devices could be competitive for low-cost applications in electronics requiring structural flexibility and low temperature processing [1]
In contrast; Stevens et al [22] carried out the improvement of thermoelectric performance of polymer nanocomposites, and Yeo et al [23] carried out an improvement in the electrical behavior of composite films with PEDOT:PSS
It is important to consider that the study of the secondary dopants in the PEDOT:PSS has not been extended to the use of small molecules such as porphines (Figure 2)

Summary

Introduction

Organic devices could be competitive for low-cost applications in electronics requiring structural flexibility and low temperature processing [1]. Despite possessing very important qualities, the PEDOT:PSS in film form does not have sufficient electrical conductivity compared to other polymers such as the polyphenylenevinylenes [12]. This issue has been solved by various means, among which the addition of secondary dopants for the manufacture of composite films stands out. Porphine is the simplest porphyrin and represents the core macrocycle of naturally occurring and synthetic porphyrins [27] The potential of this compound is enormous and it could be advantageous to use the porphine unit as a building block for optoelectronic applications because of its planar structure, its conjugated bonds, and its high density of delocalized π-electrons. The composite films were post-treated by isopropanol (IPA) vapor exposure in order to improve the electronic behavior of the Polymers

Methods

Results

Conclusion