Conductive PVDF-HFP nanofibers with embedded TTF-TCNQ charge transfer complex

Reshef Gal-Oz, Nilesh Patil, Rafail Khalfin, Yachin Cohen, Eyal Zussman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Tetrathiafulvalene-tetracyanoquinodimethane charge-transfer complex (TTF-TCNQ CTC) represents a promising organic conductive system. However, application of this donor-acceptor pair is highly limited, because of its ultrafast crystallization kinetics and very low solubility. In this work, conductive organic nanofibers were generated via a coelectrospinning process of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) with embedded TTF and TCNQ in the shell and core solutions, respectively. Upon supply of the polymer solutions, a core-shell droplet was formed at the exit of the spinneret. The electron donor TTF and the electron acceptor TCNQ migrated toward each other, within the compound droplet, to produce conductive CTC crystals. In the presence of a sufficiently strong electric field, jetting set in at the droplet tip, which yielded solidified PVDF-HFP nanofibers embedded with aligned CTC. Fiber diameters ranged between 100 and 500 nm. X-ray analysis showed strong equatorial reflections (110,200) of oriented copolymer PVDF-HFP crystals (β-phase) with copolymer chains oriented along the fiber axis, and of CTC (001), indicating that the CTC molecular planes were aligned parallel to the nanofiber axis. In addition, reflections of unreacted TCNQ (120,220) and TTF (110) crystals were observed. The electrospun nanofibers were collected to form a fiber mat, which was evaluated as a working electrode in a three-electrode cell system, exhibiting differential conductance of 5.23 μmho.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)6066-6072
Number of pages7
JournalACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
Volume5
Issue number13
DOIs
StatePublished - 10 Jul 2013

Keywords

  • TTF-TCNQ
  • X-ray
  • conductivity
  • electrospinning
  • nanofibers
  • polymer

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Materials Science

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