Polymer semiconductor electronics are potentially cheaper, lighter and more flexible than their silicon counterparts. Despite the improvements in performance and efficiency there is still a challenge to improve the stability and lifetime of organic semiconductors, and to understand the degradation mechanisms which could limit their commercial success. In this Hot Article Steffan Cook and colleagues report the degradation of one of the most widely used conjugated polymer semiconductors, poly(3-hexylthiophene) [P3HT] monitored by fluorescence quenching. Conjugated polymer emission is known to be easily quenched at defect sites. The teams use the loss of fluorescence as a precise yet simple tool for monitoring degradation in conjugated polymers and demonstrated significant degradation to P3HT occurs in only a matter of minutes under room lighting. Read the article for free until 7th March. (Free registration required)
Matter of minutes degradation of poly(3-hexylthiophene) under illumination in air: Steffan Cook, Akihiro Furube and Ryuzi Katoh, J. Mater. Chem., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/C1JM14925C (Advance Article)
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