Graphene exfoliation in the presence of semiconducting polymers for improved film homogeneity and electrical performances

LEYDECKER, Tim, EREDIA, Matilde, LISCIO, Fabiola, MILITA, Silvia, MELINTE, Georgian-Alin, ERSEN, Ioan-Ovidiu, SOMMER, Michael, CIESIELSKI, Artur et SAMORI, Paolo, sans date. Graphene exfoliation in the presence of semiconducting polymers for improved film homogeneity and electrical performances. Carbon [en ligne]. sans date. Vol. 130, pp. 495-502. [Consultésans date]. DOI 10.1016/j.carbon.2018.01.042. Consulté de : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0008622318300514We report on the production of hybrid graphene/semiconducting polymer films in one step procedure by making use of ultrasound-assisted liquid-phase exfoliation of graphite powder in the presence of π-conjugated polymers, i.e. poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) or poly[4-(4,4-dihexadecyl-4H-cyclopenta[1,2-b:5,4-b']dithiophen-2-yl)-alt-[1,2,5]thiadiazolo-[3,4-c]pyridine] (PCDTPT). The polymers were chosen in view of their different propensity to form crystalline structures, their decoration with alkyl chains that are known to possess high affinity for the basal plane of graphene, the energy levels of their frontier orbitals which are extremely similar to the work function of graphene, and their high electrical performance when integrated in field-effect transistors (FETs). The polymers act as a dispersion-stabilizing agent and prevent the re-aggregation of the exfoliated graphene flakes, ultimately enabling the production of homogeneous bi-component dispersions. The electrical characterization of few-layer graphene/PCDTPT hybrids, when integrated as active layer in bottom-contact bottom-gate FETs, revealed an increase of the field-effect mobility compared to the π-conjugated-based pristine devices, a result which can be attributed to the joint effect of the few-layer graphene sheets and semiconducting polymers improving the charge-transport in the channel of the field-effect transistor. In particular, few-layer graphene/PCDTPT films displayed a 30-fold increase of PCDTPT's mobility if compared to pristine polymer samples. Such findings represent a step forward towards the optimization of graphene exfoliation and processing into electronic devices, as well as towards improved electrical performance in organic-based field-effect transistors.1. .
Accès libre Peer reviewed
Version acceptée pour publication (post-print auteur)
Paternité - Pas d'utilisation commerciale [CC] [BY] [NC]
Auteurs Tim Leydecker
Matilde Eredia
Fabiola Liscio
Silvia Milita
Georgian-Alin Melinte
Ioan-Ovidiu Ersen
Michael Sommer
Artur Ciesielski
Paolo Samori
Unité de recherche du site

Institut de Science et d'Ingénierie Supramoléculaires - ISIS - UMR7006
Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg - IPCMS - UMR7504
URL éditeur https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0008622318300514
Langue

en
Volume

130
Page de début

495
Page de fin

502
Date de première publication

2018-01-11
ISSN

00086223
Titre de la source (revue, livre…)

Carbon
Résumé

We report on the production of hybrid graphene/semiconducting polymer films in one step procedure by making use of ultrasound-assisted liquid-phase exfoliation of graphite powder in the presence of π-conjugated polymers, i.e. poly(3-hexylthiophene)
Show moreWe report on the production of hybrid graphene/semiconducting polymer films in one step procedure by making use of ultrasound-assisted liquid-phase exfoliation of graphite powder in the presence of π-conjugated polymers, i.e. poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) or poly[4-(4,4-dihexadecyl-4H-cyclopenta[1,2-b:5,4-b']dithiophen-2-yl)-alt-[1,2,5]thiadiazolo-[3,4-c]pyridine] (PCDTPT). The polymers were chosen in view of their different propensity to form crystalline structures, their decoration with alkyl chains that are known to possess high affinity for the basal plane of graphene, the energy levels of their frontier orbitals which are extremely similar to the work function of graphene, and their high electrical performance when integrated in field-effect transistors (FETs). The polymers act as a dispersion-stabilizing agent and prevent the re-aggregation of the exfoliated graphene flakes, ultimately enabling the production of homogeneous bi-component dispersions. The electrical characterization of few-layer graphene/PCDTPT hybrids, when integrated as active layer in bottom-contact bottom-gate FETs, revealed an increase of the field-effect mobility compared to the π-conjugated-based pristine devices, a result which can be attributed to the joint effect of the few-layer graphene sheets and semiconducting polymers improving the charge-transport in the channel of the field-effect transistor. In particular, few-layer graphene/PCDTPT films displayed a 30-fold increase of PCDTPT's mobility if compared to pristine polymer samples. Such findings represent a step forward towards the optimization of graphene exfoliation and processing into electronic devices, as well as towards improved electrical performance in organic-based field-effect transistors.
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DOI 10.1016/j.carbon.2018.01.042
Éditeur

Elsevier
Titre abrégé de la source

Carbon
Type de publication

ACL
Projet(s) de recherche ANR

LabEx project Nanostructures in Interaction with their Environment (ANR-11-LABX-0058_NIE)
Projet(s) de recherche européen(s)

Graphene Flagship (GA-696656)
Domaine

Chimie/Matériaux
Mots-clés

Organic semiconductors
Graphene composites
Liquid phase exfoliation
Hybrid films
Unité de recherche extérieure au site

Istituto per la Microelettronica e Microsistemi (IMM), CNR, via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy
Institut für Makromolekulare Chemie, Stefan-Meier-Straße 31, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
Équipes de recherche

E2 : DSI - Département Surfaces et Interfaces
Fonction

aut
crp
Identifiant ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3542-4092
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6256-8281
Audience

International