Organic solar cells based on multinary components are promising to further boost the device performance. The complex interplay of the morphology and functionality needs further investigations. Here, we report on a systematic study on the morphology evolution of prototype ternary systems upon adding sensitizers featuring similar chemical structures but dramatically different crystallinity, namely poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and indene-C60-bis-adduct (ICBA) blends with poly[(4,4′-bis(2-ethylhexyl)dithieno[3,2-b:2′,3′-d]silole)-2,6-diyl-alt-(4,7-bis(2-thienyl)-2,1,3-benzothiadi-azole)-5,5′-diyl] (Si-PCPDTBT) and poly[2,6-(4,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b;3,4-b′]-dithiophene)-alt-4,7-(2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)] (C-PCPDTBT), employing energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM) and resonant soft X-ray scattering (RSoXS). In addition, a combined density functional theory (DFT) and artificial neuronal network (ANN) computational approach has been utilized to calculate the solubility parameters and Flory–Huggins intermolecular parameters to evaluate the influence of miscibility on the final morphology. Our experiments reveal that the domain spacing and purity of ICBA-rich domains are retained in Si-PCPDTBT-based systems but are strongly reduced in C-PCPDTBT-based ternary systems. The P3HT fiber structure are retained at low sensitizer content but dramatically reduced at high sensitizer content. The theoretical calculations reveal very similar miscibility/compatibility between the two sensitizers and ICBA as well as P3HT. Thus, we conclude that mainly the crystallization of Si-PCPDTBT drives the nanostructure evolution in the ternary systems, while this driving force is absent in C-PCPDTBT-based ternary blends.

We investigate the resistivity switching in individual Ag–TCNQ wires with on/off-ratios of up to 103. Raman and soft X-ray absorption microspectroscopy studies disclose reverse charge transfer. Quantifying of the fraction of neutral TCNQ within the switched material yields values up to 22.3%. These findings expedite the understanding of the switching process in Ag–TCNQ nanowires.

•STXM and TEM were employed for nanoscopic imaging of mammalian hair morphology.•Resonant imaging achieves ultimate contrast for structural components of hair.•NEXAFS gives insight into chemistry of various hair components and species.•A quantitative study of X-ray induced processes within hair is presented.Scanning soft X-ray transmission microspectroscopy (STXM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have been employed for a high-resolution morphological and chemical analysis of hair fibers from human, sheep and alpaca. STXM allows optimum contrast imaging of the main hair building blocks due to tuneable photon energy. Chemical similarities and deviations for the human hair building blocks as well as for the three investigated species are discussed on the basis of the local near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS). The spectra of melanosomes corroborate the state-of-the-art model for the chemical structure of eumelanin. Complementary TEM micrographs reveal the occurrence of cortex sectioning in alpaca hair to some extent. A spectroscopic analysis for human hair cortex indicates low mass loss upon soft X-ray irradiation, but transformation of chemical species with decreasing amount of peptide bonds and increasing NEXAFS signal for unsaturated carbon–carbon bonds.

•Growth study of end-functionalised quaterthiophene on inert substrates is presented.•Complementary nanoprobes were employed to investigate the growth behaviour.•The molecular orientation was revealed by the use of linearly polarised light.α,ω-Functionalised oligothiophenes are promising materials for organic field effect transistors due to their high degree of molecular ordering, crystallinity and π-π stacking. We employ several complementary microspectroscopic probes to investigate the formation of thermally evaporated films of 5,5‴-bis(N-acetamido-2-ethyl)-2,2′:5′,2″:5″,2‴quaterthiophene on inert substrates. These films were found to grow in a mixed fashion, featuring layer-by-layer domains with thicknesses of several monolayers and needle-shaped three-dimensional crystals. Detailed analysis of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and photoluminescence microscopy reveals the micro- and nanomorphology of the films. Linear dichroism in the near edge x-ray absorption fine structure and polarisation-dependent laser excitation corroborate the findings of AFM, i.e., upright standing molecules in the multilayer regime. The shape of the 3-dimensional crystallites and multilayer domains indicates strongly anisotropic growth favoured by the herringbone-arrangement of the thiophene moieties and additional stabilisation by hydrogen bonding of the acetamide end groups.

This study addresses a combination of a well-developed and mild dispersion method and high-quality arc discharge single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) as starting materials. Thus, we advance in fabrication of transparent, conducting films with extraordinary low material loss during SWCNT processing. The starting material was characterized by means of thermogravimetric analysis, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The quality of the starting material and produced dispersions was evaluated by ultraviolet and visible light absorption spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. A transparent conductive film was fabricated by drop-casting, whereas films were obtained with electrical to optical conductivity ratios (σDC/σOp) as high as 2.2, combined with a loss of nanotube material during processing well below 20 wt%. High pressure carbon monoxide conversion (HiPCO) SWCNTs, which are very well described in the literature, were used for comparison.

Microencapsulated ionic liquids represent a novel type of material with high potential for various applications in chemical synthesis, catalysis or separation processes. We present a detailed morphological analysis of this material by means of two imaging techniques, i.e., scanning transmission X-ray microspectroscopy (STXM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). While TEM can be utilized only in the dry state, STXM offers access to high-resolution imaging in liquid surroundings. In either case prolonged illumination leads to degradation of the stabilizing polymer. We discuss potential scenarios, e.g., formation of perforations within the polymer shell, to explain the experimental findings.

•Microspectroscopic investigation of pentacene-based OFETs during operation.•Correlation of micromorphology with charge trapping.•Distinction between orientation and charge-induced effects.Ultrathin pentacene films resemble benchmark and model materials for organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). We employ scanning transmission X-ray microspectroscopy (STXM) and confocal Raman microspectroscopy as highly resolving probes to obtain insight into the correlation of morphology and charge transport in pentacene OFETs. By combining the operation-induced intensity increase in Raman-active bands with micromorphology, we are able to visualize charge-induced effects, in particular charge trapping in pentacene OFETs during operation. The high sensitivity and specificity of Raman microscopy allows to distinguish between orientation and charge-induced effects and thus to locate the trapped charges at grain boundaries.

•High-performance zone plates were applied to generate focal stacks in STXM.•An efficient reconstruction algorithm was developed to derive 3D reconstructions.•Successful tests of the new algorithm on transparent samples.•Algorithm circumvents potential problems in soft x-ray confocal microscopy.Fresnel zone plate based soft x-ray transmission microspectroscopy has developed into a routine technique for high-resolution elemental or chemical 2D imaging of thin film specimens. The availability of high resolution Fresnel lenses with short depth of focus offers the possibility of optical slicing (in the third dimension) by focus series with resolutions in the submicron regime. We introduce a 3D reconstruction algorithm that uses a variance-based metric to assign a focus measure as basis for volume rendering. The algorithm is applied to simulated geometries and opaque soft matter specimens thus enabling 3D visualization. These studies with z-resolution of few 100 nm serve as important step towards the vision of a confocal transmission x-ray microscope.

We investigate the resistivity switching in individual Ag–TCNQ wires with on/off-ratios of up to 103. Raman and soft X-ray absorption microspectroscopy studies disclose reverse charge transfer. Quantifying of the fraction of neutral TCNQ within the switched material yields values up to 22.3%. These findings expedite the understanding of the switching process in Ag–TCNQ nanowires.