Assessment of molecular dynamics simulations for amorphous poly(3-hexylthiophene) using neutron and X-ray scattering experiments

• Published in: Soft matter Vol. 15; no. 25; pp. 567 - 583
• Main Authors: Wolf, Caitlyn M, Kanekal, Kiran H, Yimer, Yeneneh Y, Tyagi, Madhusudan, Omar-Diallo, Souleymane, Pakhnyuk, Viktoria, Luscombe, Christine K, Pfaendtner, Jim, Pozzo, Lilo D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Royal Society of Chemistry 26.06.2019; Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
• Subjects: Charge transport; Computer simulation; Elastic scattering; Molecular dynamics; Morphology; Neutron scattering; Parameters; Polymers; Quantum mechanics; Simulation; Transport properties; X-ray scattering
• ISSN: 1744-683X; 1744-6848; 1744-6848
• DOI: 10.1039/c9sm00807a

The molecular morphology and dynamics of conjugated polymers in the bulk solid state play a significant role in determining macroscopic charge transport properties. To understand this relationship, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and quantum mechanical calculations are used to evaluate local electronic properties. In this work, we investigate the importance of system and simulation parameters, such as force fields and equilibration methods, when simulating amorphous poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), a model semiconducting polymer. An assessment of MD simulations for five different published P3HT force fields is made by comparing results to experimental wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and to a broad range of quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) data. Moreover, an in silico analysis of force field parameters reveals that atomic partial charges and torsion potentials along the backbone and side chains have the greatest impact on structure and dynamics related to charge transport mechanisms in P3HT. An honest discussion on the strengths and limitations of molecular dynamics force fields for P3HT through neutron scattering.