Local structure of semicrystalline P3HT films probed by nanofocused coherent x-rays

Abstract

We present results of an x-ray study of structural properties of semicrystalline polymer films using nanofocused x-ray beam. We applied the x-ray cross-correlation analysis (XCCA) to scattering data from blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) embedded with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Spatially resolved maps of orientational distribution of crystalline domains allow us to distinguish sample regions of predominant face-on morphology,with a continuous transition to edge-on morphology. The average size of crystalline domains was determined to be of the order of 10 nm. As compared to pristine P3HT film, the P3HT/AuNPs blend is characterized by substantial ordering of crystalline domains, which can be induced by Au nanoparticles. The inhomogeneous structure of the polymer film is clearly visualized on the spatially resolved nanoscale 2D maps obtained using XCCA. Our results suggest that the observed changes of the polymer matrix within crystalline regions can be attributed to nanoconfinement in the presence of gold nanoparticles.

arXiv comment10 pages, 6 figures, 53 references

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• X-ray cross-correlation analysis and local symmetries of disordered systems. I. General theory
• X-ray cross-correlation analysis applied to disordered two-dimensional systems
• X-ray cross-correlation analysis of liquid crystal membranes in the vicinity of hexatic-smectic phase transition
• Solution of the phase problem for coherent scattering from a disordered system of identical particles
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Cited by in corpus (4)

• Quantifying Angular Correlations between the Atomic Lattice and Superlattice of Nanocrystals Assembled with Directional Linking
• Angular x-ray cross-correlation analysis (AXCCA): Basic concepts and recent applications to soft matter and nanomaterials
• Mapping Morphological and Structural Properties of Lead Halide Perovskites by Scanning Nanofocus XRD
• Ultrafast Structural Dynamics of Photo-Reactions Revealed by Model-Independent X-ray Cross-Correlation Analysis