Spin Self-Assembled Clay Nanocomposite Passivation Layers Made from a Photocrosslinkable Poly(vinyl alcohol) and Na+-Montmorillonite Enhance the Environmental Stability of Organic Thin-Film Transistors

Abstract

We investigated the effects of the multilayer polymer-clay nanohybrid passivation films on the stability of pentacene organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) exposed to air and UV irradiation. Well-ordered multilayer films were deposited by the spin-assisted layer-by-layer assembly method using photocrosslinkable poly(vinyl alcohol) with the N-methyl-4(4'-formylstyryl)pyridinium methosulfate acetal group (SbQ-PVA) and Na+-montmorillonite in a water-based solution process. When photocrosslinked, these SbQ-PVA/clay multilayers were found to serve as excellent barriers to O₂ and UV-light. Moreover, when used as passivation layers, they enhanced the stability of pentacene OTFT devices exposed to air and UV radiation.