4-8 July 2016
Kramer Law building
Africa/Johannesburg timezone
<a href="http://events.saip.org.za/internalPage.py?pageId=10&confId=86">The Proceedings of SAIP2016</a> published on 24 December 2017

Spectroscopic investigation of charge and energy transfer in P3HT/GO nanocomposites

5 Jul 2016, 16:10
1h 50m
Kramer Law building

Kramer Law building

UCT Middle Campus Cape Town
Board: A.437
Poster Presentation Track A - Division for Physics of Condensed Matter and Materials Poster Session (1)

Speaker

Mr Fokotsa Molefe (UNISA)

Abstract content <br> &nbsp; (Max 300 words)<br><a href="http://events.saip.org.za/getFile.py/access?resId=0&materialId=0&confId=34" target="_blank">Formatting &<br>Special chars</a>

As the world demand for energy continue to increase, it is vital to improve renewable energy technologies that will replace conventional fossil fuels. Carbonaceous graphene oxide (GO) is a promising environmental friendly nanomaterial, easy to prepare and scale up to commensurate with industrial requirements. The nanocomposite was prepared by blending GO nanomaterials with poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) to form hybrid heterostructures for photovoltaic applications. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results revealed the interaction of P3HT with GO through determination of the basal spacing and unit cells dimensions. It was clearly evident from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) that presence of P3HT in GO modified flaky structure to the formation of nano-platelets. The interaction of GO with P3HT is presented by various vibrational frequencies in Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The increased percentage absorbance and clear splitting of absorption bands was observed in UV-vis spectrum for P3HT/GO due to ionic interaction between P3HT and GO. The nanocomposites were excited using tunable photoluminescence (PL) wherein the measurements showed quenching and shifting of emission spectrum when introducing P3HT. This is due to charge-transfer and energy-transfer revealed by the time correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) measurements. The obtained nanocomposites establish the formation and existence of new energy levels upon GO incorporation in P3HT which enhances charge transport. The uniqueness of this work will be presented to show conversion mechanism.

Main supervisor (name and email)<br>and his / her institution

Bakang Moses Mothudi (mothubm@unisa.ac.za) UNISA

Apply to be<br> considered for a student <br> &nbsp; award (Yes / No)?

Yes

Would you like to <br> submit a short paper <br> for the Conference <br> Proceedings (Yes / No)?

Yes

Level for award<br>&nbsp;(Hons, MSc, <br> &nbsp; PhD, N/A)?

PhD

Please indicate whether<br>this abstract may be<br>published online<br>(Yes / No)

Yes

Primary author

Mr Fokotsa Molefe (UNISA)

Co-authors

Prof. Bakang Moses Mothudi (University of South Africa) Mr MOHAMMED KHENFOUCH (1 UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences-Nanotechnology, College of Science, Engineering and technology Science Campus, Corner of Christiaan de Wet Road & Pioneer Avenue, Florida, 1709, Johannesburg, South Africa. 2 University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah, Faculty of Sciences Dhar el Mahraz, Laboratory of Solid state Physics, Group of Polymers and nanomaterials, BP 1796 Atlas Fez 30 000, Morocco.) Prof. Malik Maaza (UNISA UNESCO) Prof. Mokhotjwa Simon Dhlamini (University of South Africa)

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