Work

Automated TEM Reveals Intercrystalline Correlations of Conjugated Polymers

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) continues to transform polymer science by revealing key aspects of chain packing, phase separation and nanoscale structure. The development of instrumentation and data analyses tools is driving the field forward and enabling new experiments. Here, we use automated high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) and image processing to identify the structure of a conjugated polymer used in organic electronics. Analysis of more than 600 HRTEM images reveals lattice parameters and orientation correlations between crystals, including the preferred alignment of neighboring crystals along the same crystallographic direction that is likely the result of liquid crystalline order.

Source: Macromolecules

DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.5c02888

Authors: Ryan A. Fair, Dhruv Gamdha, Joshua T. Del Mundo, Abigail M. Fenton, Agatha O’Connell, Karen C. Bustillo, Esther W. Gomez, Esther W. Gomez, Andrew M. Minor, Baskar Ganapathysubramanian, Enrique D. Gomez, Enrique D. Gomez

Institutions: Pennsylvania State University, Iowa State University, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Molecular Foundry

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications

Subfield: Structural Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,500

Funders: National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, Pennsylvania State University, Iowa State University, Office of Science, Office of Naval Research, Division of Materials Research, Basic Energy Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

Awards: G1079818582, G1143651532, G1229526393, G1243123360, G1286236842, G1286251239, G1451874870, Pushing the limits of transmission electron microscopy of polymers, Quantum Chemical Investigations of Abiotic Dimethylmercury Formation, G1863003419, G2138788324, G2271180980, G2371548206, G2618837358, G262532246, G303061748, G30714459, G3083819904, G322504335, G3873295863, G3884951186, G3967535168, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy of Mixed Polymer Conductors, G419881185, G4235786860, G42916606, G4404462180, G4501827968, G4654690619, G495301720, G498139845, G5261056217, G5570207115, G5630498599, Collaborative Research: DMREF: Multi-material digital light processing of functional polymers, G5972442391, G650090426, G6550344761, G6652958823, G6734632886, G7283024673, G7354628648, G8382000481, G8437856596, G8498941328, G8876996369, G911061179, G969889393

OpenAlex ID: W7128549499

FWCI:

Cites: 39

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