Microscopic, spectroscopic, and electrochemical characterization of novel semicrystalline poly(3-hexylthiophene)-based dendritic star copolymer
Date
2022Author
Yonkeu, Anne L. Djoumessi
Ndipingwi, Miranda M.
Tovide, Oluwakemi O.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
: In this study, electron-donating semicrystalline generation 1 poly(propylene thiophenoimine)-
co-poly(3-hexylthiophene) star copolymer, G1PPT-co-P3HT was chemically prepared for the first time.
Copolymerization was achieved with high molecular weight via facile green oxidative reaction. 1H
NMR analyses of the star copolymer demonstrated the presence of 84% regioregular (rr) head-to-tail
(HT) P3HT, which accounts for the molecular ordering in some grain regions in the macromolecule’s
morphology, as revealed by the high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) and Selected
Area Electron Diffraction (SAED) images, and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) measurements.
The star copolymer also exhibited good absorption properties in the ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis)
and the near infrared (NIR) spectral regions, which give rise to an optical energy bandgap value as
low as 1.43 eV. A HOMO energy level at −5.53 eV, which is below the air-oxidation threshold, was
obtained by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) ascertained
the semiconducting properties of the macromolecule, which is characterized by a charge transfer
resistance, Rct, value of 3.57 kΩ and a Bode plot-phase angle value of 75◦
.