In this study, we fabricated organic photovoltaics (OPVs) by introducing the polymer additive HTh6BT into the photoactive layer of a poly(3-hexylthiophene):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) system. The HTh6BT had a relatively low band gap energy of 1.65 eV and a molecular and crystalline structure similar to that of P3HT. In the photoactive layer, the HTh6BT and P3HT can both act...

The dilemma of employing high-capacity battery materials and maintaining the electronic and mechanical integrity of electrodes demands novel designs of binder systems. Here, we developed a binder polymer with multifunctionality to maintain high electronic conductivity, mechanical adhesion, ductility, and electrolyte uptake. These critical properties are achieved by designing polymers with prope...

A new optode membrane for the sensitive determination of berberine based on fluorescence quenching of a conjugated polymer, poly(2,5-dimethoxy-phenyldiacetylene) (PDPA), is proposed. Incorporated in a membrane composed of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), the conjugated polymer exhibits better stability than those small sensing molecules regarding its excellent optical properties and lipo...

The principle of utilizing a computing program describing precisely the migration of additives from a polymer into a food simulant is presented. The model has been validated with a UV absorber in polypropylene migrating into glyceryl tripelargonate, a pure triglyceride whose behaviour and average molecular weight are similar to Myglyol (a synthetic mixture of C8-C12 triglycerides). Six paramete...

We study theoretically situations where competition arises between an interdiffusion process and a cross-linking chemical reaction at interfaces between pieces of the same polymer material. An example of such a situation is observable in the formation of latex films, where, in the presence of a cross-linking additive, colloidal polymer particles initially in suspension come at contact as the so...

Membranes were prepared from a castmg solution of a water-soluble polymer, poly (vmyl pyrrohdone) (PVP), and a membrane forming polymer, poly (ether sulfone), m l-methyl-2-pyrrohdone (NMP) as solvent by immersing them m mixtures of water and NMP It was found that the addltlon of PVP to the ternary system suppresses the formatlon of macrovolds m the sub-layer, while the ultraflltratlon-type top-...

Suspensions of copper nanowires are emerging as new electronic inks for next-generation flexible electronics. Using a novel surface acoustic wave driven extensional flow technique we are able to perform currently lacking analysis of these suspensions and their complex buffer. We observe extensional viscosities from 3 mPa s (1 mPa s shear viscosity) to 37.2 Pa s via changes in the suspension con...

We present a furan-flanked DPP copolymer, poly{3,6-difuran-2-yl-2,5-di(2-octyldodecyl)-pyrrolo [3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione-altthienylenevinylene} (PDVF-8), and highlight the improvement in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of polymer solar cells (PSCs) based on the PDVF-8 as an electron donor via solvent additive and methanol treatment. When 3 vol% 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO) or 1-chloronaphthalene...

We report organic thin film transistors OTFTs with conductive polymer poly 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene /poly 4-styrenesulphonate PEDOT electrodes that are fabricated by a simple polymer inking and stamping technique. An OTFT channel length of 2 m has been achieved. This patterning technique is a purely additive process, which does not affect the functionality of the conductive polymers, and is f...

We report structural, caloric, and dielectric properties of polymer blends of poly(vinylidenefluoride–trifluoroethylene–chlorofluoroethylene) terpolymer (a member of the relaxor polymers family that exhibits fast response speeds, giant electrostriction, high electric energy density, and large electrocaloric effect) and poly(vinylidenefluoride–chlorotrifluoroethylene) copolymer, developed on alu...