ISBN 9783843920704

978-3-8439-2070-4, Reihe Physikalische Chemie

Kerstin Schindler
Morphology Tuning of Polymer Nanoparticle Composites

150 Seiten, Dissertation Universität Bayreuth (2014), Hardcover, A5

Zusammenfassung / Abstract

The aim of this work is to investigate the morphology of polymer nanoparticle composite layers which can be potentially used in a sub-type of third generation cells the so-called polymer hybrid cells. The big advantage of such polymer hybrid solar cells is to use inorganic particles to ensure a good electron transport due to good conductivity but still keep exibility, which is caused by the organic part. To ensure the generation of suffcient electric power the cells needs a lot of interfaces at which created charges (excitons) can be separated. Theoretical calculations could already describe an ideal setup of such organic solar cells. The theories predict optimal structures of polymer hybrid solar cells. One main criterion is the creation of as many interfaces as possible. The goal of this work is the investigation of morphologies of active materials such as poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and Zinc oxide nanoparticles which can be used in organic/inorganic hybrid solar cells. To create as many interfaces as possible a polymer blend consisting of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP) is used. The resulting structure will be characterized accurately including topographic and 3D morphology. As poly(2-vinylpyridine) accounts for no electronic functionality in the polymer hybrid solar cells, the incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles in the polymer blend will be evaluated which shall conduct the electrons while transporting holes within the poly(3-hexylthiophene). Besides the blend system for the solar cell device, experiments with reference systems are performed to investigate the alignment of block copolymers with nanoparticles by electric field. This alignment will be optimized to create ideal the structures and thereby interface formation with less defects. These investigations of polymer structure and the formation of ZnO nanoparticles at the interfaces of the blend system is of fundamental interest for further work in the field of organic/inorganic hybrid solar cells.