COLL 446 |
| Hybrid semiconducting nanoparticle (SC-NP)/conducting polymer composite thin films are of interest for both photoelectrocatalytic and photovoltaic device platforms due to the high molar absorptivities of the SC-NPs (105 - 106 L·mol-1·cm-1), and their size-dependent absorption characteristics, combined with the charge transporting properties of conducting and semi-conducting polymers. The efficiency of such devices critically depends on the morphology of the nanocrystal, the nature of the surface capping ligand, and the processing conditions used to create the hybrid structure. We describe here a novel method to electrochemically construct these hybrid architectures. Selective contacts are first created by electropolymerization of a hole transporting, electron rich polymer (e.g. poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) on a transparent conductive oxide (ITO). SC-NPs (e.g. CdSe), which are capped with electroactive thiophene ligands, are next electropolymerized (cross-linked) into these films to create a nanotextured hybrid heterojunction. The circuit is completed by introduction of a suitable electron acceptor (e.g. C60) in contact with the nanocrystals. This talk is focused on controlling both the loading of SC-NPs in the polymer and the morphologies of such hybrid films and characterizing their performance with various solution electron acceptors. |
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Electrochemistry-Enabled Nano S&T
9:00 AM-11:20 AM, Thursday, April 10, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Rm. 229, Oral
Division of Colloid & Surface Chemistry |