Surface-initiated growth of conjugated polymers for functionalization of electronically active nanoporous networks: synthesis, structure and optical properties

We have synthesized poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) from initiator monolayers covalently bound to TiO2 nanotubes fabricated inside nanoscale porous aluminum oxide templates. Much larger density of P3HT is achieved than by infiltration of the pores with P3HT synthesized outside the template. In addition, much lower photoluminescence efficiency is observed for the structure where P3HT is grown in-situ, indicating enhanced charge photogeneration efficiency and suggesting this as a promising strategy for fabrication of hybrid organic - inorganic solid state photovoltaics.