Uniform electroactive fiber-like micelle nanowires for organic electronics

Micelles formed by the self-assembly of block copolymers in selective solvents have attracted widespread attention for their wide applications, while applications based on their electronic properties are virtually unexplored. Herein we describe studies of solution-processable, low dispersity, electroactive fiber-like micelles of controlled length from π-conjugated diblock copolymers containing a crystalline regioregular poly(3-hexyl thiophene) core and a solubilizing, amorphous regiosymmetric poly(3-hexyl thiophene) or polystyrene corona. Tunneling atomic force microscopy measurements demonstrates that the individual fibers exhibit appreciable conductivity. Fibers are subsequently incorporated as the active layer in field-effect transistors, and the resulting charge carrier mobility strongly depends on both the degree of polymerization of the core-forming block and the fiber length, and is independent of corona composition. This study of the use of uniform, colloidally stable electroactive fiber-like micelles based on common π-conjugated block copolymers highlights their significant potential to provide fundamental insight into charge carrier processes and device.