Low-temperature melt processed polymer blend for organic thin-film transistors

Abstract

A melt processed polymer blend based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and an insulating polymer with good melt-processability, poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), has been demonstrated for fabricating organic thin-film transistors. The P3HT component in the blend, presenting as nanofibrillar networks, provides the blend with an excellent charge-transport property at low P3HT content, and the PCL matrix with a low melt temperature allows the blend to be processed at a temperature as low as 60 °C. The field-effect characteristics of the melt-processed transistors are comparable to those of the solution-processed device. The blend displays outstanding mechanical properties with elongations at break exceeding 300%, and has a potential use in biocompatible and biodegradable organic thin-film transistors.