Design and morphology control of a thiophene derivative through electrospraying using various solvents

Khanum, Khadija K and Sandeep, BS and Ramamurthy, Praveen C (2015) Design and morphology control of a thiophene derivative through electrospraying using various solvents. In: RSC ADVANCES, 5 (74). pp. 60419-60425.

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Abstract

In the present work, electrospraying of an organic molecule is carried out using various solvents, obtaining fibril structures along with a range of distinct morphologies. Solvent characteristics play a major role in determining the morphology of the organic material. A thiophene derivative (7,9-di(thiophen-2-yl)-8H-cyclopentaa]acenaphthylen-8-one) (DTCPA) of donor-acceptor-donor (DAD) architecture is used to study this solvent effect. Seven solvents with decreasing vapour pressure are selected for experiments. Electrospraying is conducted at a solution concentration of 1.5 wt% and a constant applied voltage of 15 kV. Gradual transformation in morphology of the electrospun product from spiked-spheres to only spikes is observed. A mechanism describing this transformation is proposed based on electron micrograph analysis and XRD analysis. These data indicate that the morphological change is due to the synergistic effect of both vapour pressure and dielectric constant of the solvents. Through a reasonable control of the crystallite size and morphology along with the proposal of the transformation mechanism, this study elucidates electrospraying as a prospective method for designing architectures in organic electronics.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	RSC ADVANCES
Publisher:	ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY
Additional Information:	Copy right for this article belongs to the ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY, THOMAS GRAHAM HOUSE, SCIENCE PARK, MILTON RD, CAMBRIDGE CB4 0WF, CAMBS, ENGLAND
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Materials Engineering (formerly Metallurgy) Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences > Centre for Nano Science and Engineering
Date Deposited:	19 Aug 2015 07:12
Last Modified:	19 Aug 2015 07:12
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/52165

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