Hybrid solar cells comprised of organic conjugated polymers and inorganic semiconducting nanoparticles have been shown to retain the benefits of both materials. These benefits include tunable nanoparticle band gaps, increased charge mobility and electrical conductivity, and inexpensive and versatile fabrication of thin, light-weight films. However, device performance has not advanced to a level that is commercially viable. This is largely due to poor electronic interfaces between the organic and inorganic components. In our system, the Schiff base ligand salicylaldehyde propylenediamine (salpen), functionalized with bithiophene end groups, serves as the electropolymerizable organic monomer. Metallation of the salpen backbone with zinc(II) and subsequent electropolymerization produces a conducting metallopolymer with preordered zinc nucleation sites. The seeded growth of ZnO semiconducting nanoparticles throughout the conducting polymer film provides physical and electronic contact between the n- and p-type materials forming an electronic bulk heterojunction. The design, synthesis, and characterization of the salpen ligand, zinc monomer, metallopolymer and the ZnO hybrid material will be presented. Additionally, electrochemical and TEM studies of this hybrid ZnO/polythiophene system will be discussed in detail.

Seeded growth of ZnO nanoparticles within conducting metallopolymers

246th National Meeting (2013)

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