Head-to-tail, regioregular poly(3-hexyllthiophene) (P3HT) is one archetype of conjugated polymers, frequently used in polymeric photovoltaic cells (PV) [1] and OFETs [2]. A particular feature of P3HT regards its ability of forming fibrillar structures, that impact favourably on the charge transport ability of the material, apparently due to an increase of crystallinity upon fibril formation [3]. Here we present the results of investigations over P3HT nanofibers and nanolamellae realized over large areas (several square millimiters) by a simple and fast recently reported method [4] as sensing material. The favorable morphological and physical properties of the so-obtained P3HT nanofibers [5] allow to use them as sensitive materials for a variety of different gases. In particular, P3HT nanofibers have been fabricated onto patterned electrodes and tested as gas-sensing layers for several different organic compounds, showing promising performances when compared to a plain layer of the same polymer, in terms of high reversibility, selectivity and sensitivity.
References
[1] S. Gunes et al., Chem. Rev. 107 (2007)1324 [2] J. Mater. Chem. 18 (2008) 5927 [3] J. Appl. Phys. 100 (2006) 033712; J. Phys. Chem. C 113 (2009) 17235 [4] A. Fraleoni-Morgera, Small 7 (2011) 321, 2011 [5] A. Fraleoni-Morgera et al, RSC Adv. 3 (2013) 15664