This thesis presents an investigation into the factors affecting the morphology of hybrid inorganic/organic photoactive layers used in photovoltaic cells. Although optimisation of the organic (polymer) phase has received substantial attention, research into the morphology of the inorganic phase (semiconducting nanocrystals) remains limited. It is believed that there is a strong link between the morphology of the final photoactive film and the quality of the initial nanocrystal dispersion. To this end, two nanocrystal systems were investigated; zinc oxide (ZnO) and lead sulphide (PbS). ZnO nanocrystals were synthesised and found to possess reproducible characteristics. It was determined that colloid stability was initially dependent upon the presence of acetate groups bound to the surface, which in turn required a small quantity of methanol to be present in the organic dispersant. It was also discovered that while methanol evaporated readily from the surface of the nanocrystals, another molecule, 1-propylamine (1-PA), did not. Further investigations showed that while methanol only weakly physisorbed to the surface of ZnO nanocrystals, 1-PA formed strong, dative covalent bonds with Zn2+, preventing evaporation despite a low boiling point. Subsequent investigations into the effects of different ligands upon colloid stability found that amine-based groups typically possessed superior stabilising capabilities compared to alcohol-based analogues. The characteristics of nanocrystal / polymer blends were also investigated. It was determined that the nanocrystal dispersion became unstable at higher concentrations of polymer due to depletion aggregation. Films of nanocrystal / polymer blends were cast from dispersions containing either alcohol or amine-based ligands, and it was observed that dispersions stabilised with 1-PA possessed smooth morphologies on the micrometer scale. Investigations at the nanometer scale, however, revealed aggregates large enough to favour recombination.The latter half of this thesis regards the characterisation of PbS nanocrystals and investigations into triggered aggregation. It was determined that while PbS nanocrystals possessed reproducible characteristics, the stabilising molecule, oleic acid (OA) was insulating. The effects of exchanging the OA groups for a shorter ligand, butylamine (BA) were investigated.Finally, PbS nanocrystals were treated with a bidentate ligand, 1,2-ethanedithiol (EDT) to induce triggered aggregation. It was observed that the system was highly sensitive to the concentration of EDT in dispersion, forming small, relatively dispersed aggregates at low [EDT], and micrometer-sized crystalline structures at high [EDT]. The characterisation and entrapment of these nanocrystal structures within semi-conducting polymer films is also discussed.

Le but de cette thèse était d’élaborer et d’étudier des films minces hybrides orientés et nanostructurés composés d’un polymère semi-conducteur, le poly(3-hexylthiophène) regiorégulier (P3HT) et de nanocristaux semiconducteurs de CdSe (sphères, bâtonnets). Pour cela, deux méthodes ont été mises en œuvre: la croissance épitaxiale directionnelle et le brossage mécanique. Les films de P3HT purs épitaxiés et brossés se différencient en termes de nanomorphologie, d’ordre cristallin et de structure. Les premiers présentent une morphologie lamellaire et une structure de fibre où les chaînes conjuguées sont alignées suivant l’axe de fibre. Les films brossés ne présentent pas de structure lamellaire et les domaines cristallins sont orientés préférentiellement «flat-on». Ces différences se reflètent dans les propriétés optiques des films épitaxiés et brossés. Le degré d’orientation des films brossés dépend fortement du poids moléculaire et une forte anisotropie du transport de charges a été observée. Les films hybrides épitaxiés sont nanostructurés avec localisation des nanocristaux dans les zones amorphes du P3HT. Par ailleurs, l’analyse par tomographie électronique de ces films montre une structure en bicouche avec une couche hybride surmontée d’une couche de P3HT pur. Les films hybrides brossés montrent clairement un alignement des nanobâtonnets de CdSe et des chaînes du P3HT parallèlement à l’axe du brossage. Les degrés d’orientation du P3HT et des nanobâtonnets sont corrélés et dépendent de la proportion en nanoparticules indiquant que c’est la matrice polymère qui induit l’orientation des nanobâtonnets. / The aim of this thesis was to elaborate and characterize hybrid oriented and nanostructured thin films composed of a semiconducting polymer, regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophène) (P3HT) and semiconducting CdSe nanocrystals (spheres, rods). Two orientation methods were used: directional epitaxial crystallization and mechanical rubbing. Epitaxied and rubbedfilms of pure P3HT show strong differences in terms of nanomorphology, crystalline order and structure. Epitaxied films possess a lamellar morphology, a 3D crystalline order and fiber symmetry where the P3HT backbones (cP3HT) are aligned along the fiber axis. Rubbed films do not show a lamellar morphology and have a 2D crystalline order with crystalline domains preferentially oriented “flat-on” relative to the substrate. These differences are reflected in the optical properties of the films. The orientation degree achieved in rubbed films strongly depends on the molecular weight of the polymer. There is also a strong anisotropy of the charge transport properties. Regarding hybrid epitaxied layers, we observed a nanostructuration with a localization of the CdSe nanocrystals into the amorphous zones of the P3HT. Moreover, electron tomography analysis shows that such films have a bilayer structure with a hybrid layer covered by pure P3HT. In rubbed hybrid films prepared with nanorods, the long axis of the nanorods as well as the P3HT backbone are oriented parallel tothe rubbing direction. The degree of in-plane orientation of the rods and of the P3HT matrix match closely and depend on the proportion of CdSe nanrods in the films. These results suggest that the P3HT matrix enforces the orientation of the rods.

L’amélioration des performances des dispositifs photovoltaïques organiques passe par le contrôle de la morphologie de leurs couches actives. Nous avons cherché à préparer une hétérojonction volumique donneur-accepteur nanostructurée en utilisant la nucléation hétérogène du poly (3-hexylthiophène) (P3HT, donneur) par des fibres d’organogélateurs à base de naphthalène diimide (NDI, accepteur). La première partie de ce travail présente l’étude des propriétés d’auto-assemblage d’organogélateurs à cœur NDI substitué par des groupements amides et des dendrons trialkoxyphényles. Nous avons évalué l’influence de la longueur de la chaîne flexible entre le cœur naphthalène et les groupements amides (2 liaisons C-C pour NDI2 et 4 pour NDI4) sur les propriétés physico-chimiques des organogélateurs. La seconde partie de ce travail met en évidence le polymorphisme du composé NDI2 en identifiant 4 polymorphes ainsi que leurs signatures optiques, spectroscopiques et structurales. Un diagramme de phase de l’état solide du NDI2 est proposé. La dernière partie de la thèse concerne l’élaboration de nano-composites donneur-accepteur entre les organogélateurs à cœur NDI et le P3HT. Le processus de formation en solution de ces nano-composites est analysé en suivant les cinétiques de cristallisation du P3HT par spectroscopie d’absorption UV-Visible et les morphologies obtenues (structures shish-kebab) par microscopie électronique en transmission. L’effet nucléant des organogélateurs sur le P3HT a été montré. Les études en cellules solaires des composés P3HT:PCBM : organogélateur ont prouvé que le rendement de conversion énergétique peut être augmenté en présence d’organogélateurs. / Improving the performances of organic photovoltaic devices requires morphology control of the active layers. Highly nanostructured donor-acceptor bulk heterojunctions were prepared by heterogeneous nucleation of poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT, donor) on naphthalene diimide organogelators fibers (NDI, acceptor). The first part of this work was dedicated to the self-assembly of NDI-core organogelators substituted by amide groups and trialkoxyphenyls dendrons. We evaluated the influence of the flexible chain between the naphthalene core and the amide groups (2 C-C bonds for NDI2 and 4 for NDI4) on the physico-chemical properties of the organogelators.The second part of this work focused on the polymorphism of NDI2 with identification of four different polymorphs with their optical, spectroscopic and structural signatures. A phase diagram of NDI2 in the solid state was determined. The last part of this manuscript concerns the fabrication of donor-acceptor nano-composites between NDI organogelators and P3HT. The formation process in solution of these nano-composites was analyzed by following the crystallization kinetics of P3HT by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy and the thin film morphology (shish-kebab structures) by transmission electron microscopy. The nucleating effect of various organogelators on P3HT was demonstrated. Solar cells were made from the composites P3HT:PCBM : organogelator and their energetic conversion yield was shown to be increased in the presence of organogelators.