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Novel approaches to polymer blends based on polymer nanoparticles

Nature Materials volume 2, pages 408–412 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Polymer layers can exhibit significantly improved performances if they possess a multicomponent phase-separated morphology. We present two approaches to control the dimensions of phase separation in thin polymer-blend layers; both rely on polymer nanospheres prepared by the miniemulsion process. In the first approach, heterophase solid layers are prepared from an aqueous dispersion containing nanoparticles of two polymers, whereas in the second approach, both polymers are already contained in each individual nanoparticle. In both cases, the upper limit for the dimension of phase separation is determined by the size of the individual nanoparticles, which can be adjusted down to a few tens of nanometres. We also show that the efficiencies of solar cells using two-component particles are comparable to those of devices prepared from solution at comparable illumination conditions, and that they are not affected by the choice of solvent used in the miniemulsion process.

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Figure 1: a, Preparation of a dispersion of solid polymer nanoparticles in water.
Figure 2: Morphology and energy transfer in layers of nanoparticle blends.
Figure 3: Thermal stability of the nanoscale phase-separation in layers of nanoparticle blends.
Figure 4: Energy transfer in two-component blend particles.
Figure 5: Solar cells based on two-component polymer nanoparticles.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank W. Regenstein (University of Potsdam) for the access to the optical spectrometers used in this work, A. Heilig (MPI of Colloids and Interfaces) for performing the AFM measurements and M. Förster (University of Wuppertal) for experimental support in the polymer synthesis. We also acknowledge financial support by the Stiftung Volkswagenwerk and the Max-Planck Society.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Potsdam, Institute of Physics, Am Neuen Palais 10, Potsdam, D-14469, Germany

    Thomas Kietzke & Dieter Neher

  2. Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam/Golm, D-14424, Germany

    Katharina Landfester & Rivelino Montenegro

  3. Department of Chemistry, University of Wuppertal, Gaußstrasse 20, Wuppertal, D-42097, Germany

    Roland Güntner & Ullrich Scherf

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  1. Thomas Kietzke
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Correspondence to Dieter Neher, Katharina Landfester or Ullrich Scherf.

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Kietzke, T., Neher, D., Landfester, K. et al. Novel approaches to polymer blends based on polymer nanoparticles. Nature Mater 2, 408–412 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat889

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