Colloids of semiconducting polymers for high-performance, environment-friendly polymer field effect transistors

•We demonstrate polymer colloids technique for organic electronics.•Polymer colloids techniques enable green technology.•High mobility of 2.7 cm2/Vs is demonstrated from arrays of polymer particle.•X-ray study supports the well aligned ordering of semiconductor in particles.•Stable polymer colloids are fabricated by simple dispersion method.

Considering the recent rapid growth of polymer field effect transistor (PFET) techniques and environmental pressure to avoid the use of toxic organic solvents in industrial processes, it is very important to develop colloids of semiconducting polymers in non-toxic solvents. Herein, we demonstrate the fabrication of surfactant-free, emulsion-dispersed nanoparticles of donor–acceptor copolymers. By optimizing the deposition methods of such semiconducting polymer colloids, high mobility (2.7 cm2/Vs) PFETs were fabricated via environmentally benign processes. Systematic analyses on the crystalline nature of the colloid-processed films revealed that the well-developed edge-on lamella structure comparable to that of the bulk polymer, was preserved during the colloid-fabrication processes.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide