Structural properties of π-π Conjugated network in polymer thin films studied by x-ray cross-correlation analysis

We present results of an x-ray study of structural properties of π-π conjugated networks in semicrystalline polymer thin films using nanofocused x-ray beam. We applied the x-ray cross-correlation analysis to x-ray scattering data from blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) with gold nanoparticles. The Fourier spectra of the intensity cross-correlation functions for different films contain non-zero components of orders n = 2,4 and 6 revealing structural order in the system. The results suggest inhomogeneous structure of both samples, with preferential edge-on orientation of domains in one sample and mixed orientation in another sample. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd