ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Poly(3-hexylthiophene)/gold nanoparticle nanocomposites: relationship between morphology and electrical conductivity

Bartosz Paruzel, Ewa Pavlova, Jiří Pfleger, Miroslav Šlouf, Klara Halašová, and Šárka Mikmeková

Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v. v. i., Prague 6, Czech Republic

E-mail: paruzel@imc.cas.cz

Abstract: The morphology and electrical properties of gold nanoparticles (AuNP) layer vacuum-deposited onto spin-cast thin films of poly(3-hexylthiophene), P3HT, were studied. The electrical conductivity was measured during temperature cycling and related to the morphology of the same composite structures, which was monitored by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and extra-high resolution scanning electron microscopy (XHR SEM). Comparison to the analogous polystyrene/AuNP layers was made to distinguish the role of the polymer support on the morphology and electrical properties of the nanoparticles assembly. Gold deposited in a very thin layer formed a nanoparticles-like island structure with the morphology depending on the effective thickness of the deposited layer and on its subsequent thermal treatment. A stabilizing effect of the thiophene–gold interaction on the nanoparticles morphology was observed.

Keywords: Poly(3-hexylthiophene); Gold nanoparticles; Nanocomposite; Electrical conductivity

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-016-0101-8

Chemical Papers 71 (2) 401–408 (2017)