Controlled dispersion of a porphyrin/fullerene donor-acceptor complex in semiconducting polymer thin films: Intermolecular interactions of polymers with porphyrin and fullerene

ABSTRACT Thin films composed of semiconducting polymers [poly(2‐vinyl naphthalene), poly(4‐diphenyl aminostyrene), poly(1‐vinyl pyrene), and poly(3‐hexyl thiophene‐2,5‐diyl)], zinc(II)−5,10,15,20‐tetra‐(2‐naphthyl)porphyrin, and [6,6]‐phenyl‐C61‐butyric acid methyl ester blends were prepared to investigate the controlled dispersion of porphyrin molecules in semiconducting polymer thin films. Tailoring the intermolecular interactions between the polymer/fullerene, polymer/porphyrin, and porphyrin/fullerene systems was found to be an effective method of controlling the dispersion. When the polymer/porphyrin interactions were enhanced, intermixed porphyrin/fullerene donor–acceptor complex domains were formed, whereas under conditions where the polymer/porphyrin interactions were weakened, the complex assembled at the borders between the polymer and fullerene phases. This concept could potentially be applied to various combinations of porphyrin/fullerene systems in semiconducting polymer thin films to develop polymer solar cells with excellent performance. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41629.