Mechanism of Conductivity Enhancement of Polymers Employing Microbubble Lithography

TL;DR

This paper investigates how microbubble lithography enhances polymer conductivity through self-assembly and phase separation, combining theoretical and experimental methods to reveal underlying mechanisms.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive understanding of the structural transformations and phase separation processes responsible for conductivity improvements in polymers fabricated by MBL.

Findings

Microbubble lithography induces beneficial phase separation in polymers.

Structural transformations facilitate improved charge transport.

MBL is a sustainable technique for conductive pattern fabrication.

Abstract

The pursuit of green methodologies for fabricating optoelectronic devices necessitates the adoption of self-assembly-based strategies to engineer efficient and sustainable platforms. Microbubble lithography (MBL) stands out as a directed self-assembly technique, enabling real-time micropatterning of conductive structures. Notably, this approach achieves significant enhancements in the conductivity of patterned polymers without requiring external dopants. However, the underlying mechanisms driving this enhancement remain poorly understood. In this study, we address this knowledge gap through a combined theoretical and experimental investigation of a binary polymer system. Molecular dynamics simulations and percolation theory reveal structural transformations that underpin improved charge transport. Furthermore, we demonstrate that phase separation at the interfaces of interacting polymers plays a pivotal role in enhancing conductivity. This separation optimizes the conformational states of the polymers, facilitating more efficient charge carrier transport and ultimately leading to higher conductivity. Our findings establish MBL-induced self-assembly as a robust and sustainable technique for fabricating conductive patterns, paving the way for its integration into next-generation optoelectronic devices.