Dispersive hole transport in polymer: carbon nanotube composites

The hole transport properties of poly(2-methoxy, 5-(2'-ethyl-hexoxy)-p-phenylene vinylene) (MEH-PPV) blended with acid oxidized multiwall carbon nanotubes (COOH-MWCNTs) were investigated in a diode configuration using the time-of-flight (TOF) photocurrent method. While the room temperature hole mobility in pure MEH-PPV films was non-dispersive with positive field dependent mobility, MEH-PPV: COOH-MWCNT blended devices exhibited dispersive transport and negative field dependent mobility. This indicates that the hole mobility in this composite is influenced by positional disorder caused by the presence of COOH-MWCNTs in the MEH-PPV matrix. These results strongly suggest that the distribution of COOH-MWCNTs optimising in the organic matrix is important for charge transport in the high mobility nanotube component to be activated, when used in hybrid material systems.