An investigation of structural, optical, and electrical properties of poly(3‐hexylthiophene)/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites for electronic and optoelectronic applications

AbstractPoly(3‐hexylthiophene)/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites (P3HT/rGO) were successfully prepared starting with 3‐hexylthiophene (3HT) monomer. 1H NMR was utilized to determine the regioregularity of the polymer and the degree of polymerization. The interaction of rGO was identified by employing Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). Besides, the XRD results revealed the crystallinity was enhanced with the increment of rGO. Upon filling with rGO, High‐resolution transmission electron high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy images manifested a fluffy morphology, while field emission scanning electron microscope demonstrated a high level of compactness and uniformity. Optical spectrophotometry (UV–Vis–NIR) was implied to determine the impact of rGO on the optical properties. It was found that the bandgap was reduced upon the addition of rGO. The temperature and frequency‐dependent electrical properties including complex permittivity, tangent loss, complex electrical modulus, impedance, and conductivity for revealing both the dipolar relaxation and charge transportation were investigated. It is revealed that P3HT/rGO has significantly higher conductivity values compared to P3HT. Further, the temperature dependence of the Dc—conductivity for pure P3HT was governed by the Vogel–Fulcher–Tamman (VFT) approach, whereas it was altered to Arrhenius upon the inclusion of rGO. The fact that the P3HT/rGO nanocomposite has a higher ε' value, lower tangent loss, and higher conductivity than the pristine P3HT, suggested these nanocomposites are more favorable than pure P3HT in optoelectronic and thermoelectric applications.