Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles and Thin Films of Defect-Free Cyclic P3HT: Effects of Polymer Topology on the Nanostructure

Conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CP NPs) attract attention as nanoscale materials used for a variety of applications. In relation to this, the internal structure of CP NPs is an important factor for their properties, and numerous investigations have been carried out to control their nanomorphology....

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Main Authors: Tomohisa Watanabe, Masatoshi Maeki, Manabu Tokeshi, Tianle Gao, Feng Li, Takuya Isono, Kenji Tajima, Toshifumi Satoh, Shin-ichiro Sato, Takuya Yamamoto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/12/2490
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author Tomohisa Watanabe
Masatoshi Maeki
Manabu Tokeshi
Tianle Gao
Feng Li
Takuya Isono
Kenji Tajima
Toshifumi Satoh
Shin-ichiro Sato
Takuya Yamamoto
author_facet Tomohisa Watanabe
Masatoshi Maeki
Manabu Tokeshi
Tianle Gao
Feng Li
Takuya Isono
Kenji Tajima
Toshifumi Satoh
Shin-ichiro Sato
Takuya Yamamoto
author_sort Tomohisa Watanabe
collection DOAJ
description Conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CP NPs) attract attention as nanoscale materials used for a variety of applications. In relation to this, the internal structure of CP NPs is an important factor for their properties, and numerous investigations have been carried out to control their nanomorphology. Here, we report the formation of CP NPs from defect-free cyclic poly(3-hexylthiophene) (<i>c</i>-P3HT) using a microfluidic device, and the effect of polymer topology on their structural and solvatochromic properties was investigated. CP NPs from <i>c</i>-P3HT exhibited reduced particle sizes and hypsochromic shifts in the absorption spectrum when compared to CP NPs obtained from corresponding linear P3HT (<i>l</i>-P3HT). Furthermore, steady responses in the solvatochromism of CP NPs from <i>c</i>-P3HT were observed, while those from <i>l</i>-P3HT displayed molecular weight dependency. These <i>topology effects</i> were caused by the change in the conjugation length, solubility, and crystallinity upon cyclization. Grazing incidence X-ray scattering (GIXS) studies of spin-coated P3HT films further showed a reduced interchain order and a larger proportion of face-on molecular orientation on a substrate for <i>c</i>-P3HTs. The various distinct structures observed for <i>c</i>-P3HT indicate the use of polymer topology as a means of nanostructure regulation.
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spelling doaj-art-dfff82c6363f4946a382f52860fe063e2025-08-20T03:16:23ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492025-06-013012249010.3390/molecules30122490Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles and Thin Films of Defect-Free Cyclic P3HT: Effects of Polymer Topology on the NanostructureTomohisa Watanabe0Masatoshi Maeki1Manabu Tokeshi2Tianle Gao3Feng Li4Takuya Isono5Kenji Tajima6Toshifumi Satoh7Shin-ichiro Sato8Takuya Yamamoto9Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Hokkaido, JapanDivision of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Hokkaido, JapanDivision of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Hokkaido, JapanDivision of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Hokkaido, JapanDivision of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Hokkaido, JapanDivision of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Hokkaido, JapanDivision of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Hokkaido, JapanDivision of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Hokkaido, JapanDivision of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Hokkaido, JapanDivision of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Hokkaido, JapanConjugated polymer nanoparticles (CP NPs) attract attention as nanoscale materials used for a variety of applications. In relation to this, the internal structure of CP NPs is an important factor for their properties, and numerous investigations have been carried out to control their nanomorphology. Here, we report the formation of CP NPs from defect-free cyclic poly(3-hexylthiophene) (<i>c</i>-P3HT) using a microfluidic device, and the effect of polymer topology on their structural and solvatochromic properties was investigated. CP NPs from <i>c</i>-P3HT exhibited reduced particle sizes and hypsochromic shifts in the absorption spectrum when compared to CP NPs obtained from corresponding linear P3HT (<i>l</i>-P3HT). Furthermore, steady responses in the solvatochromism of CP NPs from <i>c</i>-P3HT were observed, while those from <i>l</i>-P3HT displayed molecular weight dependency. These <i>topology effects</i> were caused by the change in the conjugation length, solubility, and crystallinity upon cyclization. Grazing incidence X-ray scattering (GIXS) studies of spin-coated P3HT films further showed a reduced interchain order and a larger proportion of face-on molecular orientation on a substrate for <i>c</i>-P3HTs. The various distinct structures observed for <i>c</i>-P3HT indicate the use of polymer topology as a means of nanostructure regulation.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/12/2490cyclic polymerconjugated polymer nanoparticlessolvatochromismgrazing 30 incidence X-ray scatteringpoly(3-hexylthiophene)
spellingShingle Tomohisa Watanabe
Masatoshi Maeki
Manabu Tokeshi
Tianle Gao
Feng Li
Takuya Isono
Kenji Tajima
Toshifumi Satoh
Shin-ichiro Sato
Takuya Yamamoto
Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles and Thin Films of Defect-Free Cyclic P3HT: Effects of Polymer Topology on the Nanostructure
Molecules
cyclic polymer
conjugated polymer nanoparticles
solvatochromism
grazing 30 incidence X-ray scattering
poly(3-hexylthiophene)
title Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles and Thin Films of Defect-Free Cyclic P3HT: Effects of Polymer Topology on the Nanostructure
title_full Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles and Thin Films of Defect-Free Cyclic P3HT: Effects of Polymer Topology on the Nanostructure
title_fullStr Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles and Thin Films of Defect-Free Cyclic P3HT: Effects of Polymer Topology on the Nanostructure
title_full_unstemmed Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles and Thin Films of Defect-Free Cyclic P3HT: Effects of Polymer Topology on the Nanostructure
title_short Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles and Thin Films of Defect-Free Cyclic P3HT: Effects of Polymer Topology on the Nanostructure
title_sort conjugated polymer nanoparticles and thin films of defect free cyclic p3ht effects of polymer topology on the nanostructure
topic cyclic polymer
conjugated polymer nanoparticles
solvatochromism
grazing 30 incidence X-ray scattering
poly(3-hexylthiophene)
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/12/2490
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