Ultrafast charge separation at a polymer-single-walled carbon nanotube molecular junction

Samuel D Stranks; Christian Weisspfennig; Patrick Parkinson; Michael B Johnston; Laura M Herz; Robin J Nicholas

doi:10.1021/nl1036484

Ultrafast charge separation at a polymer-single-walled carbon nanotube molecular junction

Samuel D Stranks, Christian Weisspfennig, Patrick Parkinson, Michael B Johnston, Laura M Herz, Robin J Nicholas

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We have investigated the charge photogeneration dynamics at the interface formed between single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) using a combination of femtosecond spectroscopic techniques. We demonstrate that photoexcitation of P3HT forming a single molecular layer around a SWNT leads to an ultrafast (???430 fs) charge transfer between the materials. The addition of excess P3HT leads to long-term charge separation in which free polarons remain separated at room temperature. Our results suggest that SWNT-P3HT blends incorporating only small fractions (1\%) of SWNTs allow photon-to-charge conversion with efficiencies comparable to those for conventional (60:40) P3HT-fullerene blends, provided that small-diameter tubes are individually embedded in the P3HT matrix.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	66-72
Number of pages	7
Journal	Nano Letters
Volume	11
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/nl1036484
Publication status	Published - 2011

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title = "Ultrafast charge separation at a polymer-single-walled carbon nanotube molecular junction",

abstract = "We have investigated the charge photogeneration dynamics at the interface formed between single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) using a combination of femtosecond spectroscopic techniques. We demonstrate that photoexcitation of P3HT forming a single molecular layer around a SWNT leads to an ultrafast (???430 fs) charge transfer between the materials. The addition of excess P3HT leads to long-term charge separation in which free polarons remain separated at room temperature. Our results suggest that SWNT-P3HT blends incorporating only small fractions (1\%) of SWNTs allow photon-to-charge conversion with efficiencies comparable to those for conventional (60:40) P3HT-fullerene blends, provided that small-diameter tubes are individually embedded in the P3HT matrix.",

author = "Stranks, {Samuel D} and Christian Weisspfennig and Patrick Parkinson and Johnston, {Michael B} and Herz, {Laura M} and Nicholas, {Robin J}",

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doi = "10.1021/nl1036484",

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T1 - Ultrafast charge separation at a polymer-single-walled carbon nanotube molecular junction

AU - Stranks, Samuel D

AU - Weisspfennig, Christian

AU - Parkinson, Patrick

AU - Johnston, Michael B

AU - Herz, Laura M

AU - Nicholas, Robin J

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - We have investigated the charge photogeneration dynamics at the interface formed between single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) using a combination of femtosecond spectroscopic techniques. We demonstrate that photoexcitation of P3HT forming a single molecular layer around a SWNT leads to an ultrafast (???430 fs) charge transfer between the materials. The addition of excess P3HT leads to long-term charge separation in which free polarons remain separated at room temperature. Our results suggest that SWNT-P3HT blends incorporating only small fractions (1\%) of SWNTs allow photon-to-charge conversion with efficiencies comparable to those for conventional (60:40) P3HT-fullerene blends, provided that small-diameter tubes are individually embedded in the P3HT matrix.

AB - We have investigated the charge photogeneration dynamics at the interface formed between single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) using a combination of femtosecond spectroscopic techniques. We demonstrate that photoexcitation of P3HT forming a single molecular layer around a SWNT leads to an ultrafast (???430 fs) charge transfer between the materials. The addition of excess P3HT leads to long-term charge separation in which free polarons remain separated at room temperature. Our results suggest that SWNT-P3HT blends incorporating only small fractions (1\%) of SWNTs allow photon-to-charge conversion with efficiencies comparable to those for conventional (60:40) P3HT-fullerene blends, provided that small-diameter tubes are individually embedded in the P3HT matrix.

U2 - 10.1021/nl1036484

DO - 10.1021/nl1036484

M3 - Article

SN - 1530-6984

VL - 11

SP - 66

EP - 72

JO - Nano Letters

JF - Nano Letters

IS - 1

ER -

Ultrafast charge separation at a polymer-single-walled carbon nanotube molecular junction

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