[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-333264-105":59,"doc-detail-333264-en":131},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":124,"head_meta":126,"extra_data":128,"updated_unix":130},105,"en","resonant-tender-x-ray-scattering-for-disclosing-the-backbone-conformation-of-conjugated-polymers","Resonant Tender X-ray Scattering for Disclosing the Backbone Conformation of Conjugated Polymers","","The backbone conformation of conjugated polymers is critical to their performance in electronic applications. The study applies contrast-variation small-angle neutron scattering (CV-SANS) supported by deuterated polymer synthesis, while addressing drawbacks such as subtle property changes induced by deuteration labeling. A label-free alternative is presented using tender X-ray scattering near the sulfur K-edge to separate backbone from whole-chain conformation in a low-bandgap donor−acceptor polymer, PffBT4T. Sulfur K-edge identification is performed by NEXAFS, followed by presulfur and on-sulfur K-edge scattering at elevated temperatures. Results show that for a highly flexible polymer, backbone persistence length can be lower than whole-chain persistence length, indicating a more flexible backbone. The approach enables efficient, rapid characterization of conjugated-polymer backbone conformation, supporting CP design and optimization for advanced electronics.",{"@graph":69,"@context":123},[70,84,106],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/resonant-tender-x-ray-scattering-for-disclosing-the-backbone-conformation-of-conjugated-polymers/333264/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/resonant-tender-x-ray-scattering-for-disclosing-the-backbone-conformation-of-conjugated-polymers/333264.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Ava Thompson","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-08","2026-09-21",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":105},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",11,{"@type":107,"mainEntity":108},"FAQPage",[109,115,119],{"name":110,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":112},"Why is the backbone conformation of conjugated polymers important for electronics?","Question",{"text":113,"@type":114},"The backbone conformation governs charge transport and is crucial for device performance in applications such as OFETs, organic solar cells, sensors, and LEDs.","Answer",{"name":116,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":117},"What limitation affects conventional CV-SANS approaches for studying polymer conformation?",{"text":118,"@type":114},"CV-SANS often relies on deuterated labeling, and deuteration can subtly alter the polymer’s physical properties due to structural modifications.",{"name":120,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":121},"How does the tender X-ray scattering method distinguish backbone from whole-chain conformation?",{"text":122,"@type":114},"By tuning measurements near the sulfur K-edge—identifying the edge with NEXAFS and performing scattering at presulfur and on-sulfur K-edge conditions—the method separates backbone versus whole-chain contributions in the selected polymer.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":125,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":127,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":129,"site_id":62},333264,1790464032,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":132},{"doc_id":129,"user_id":133,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":105,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":39,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":46,"preview_page_count":4},1649267921044,"https://us-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/1800007509477c92dfb?_k=1786009248482753345","Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory  \nLBL Publications  \nTitle  \nResonant Tender X‑ray Scattering for Disclosing the Backbone Conformation of Conjugated Polymers  \nPermalink  \n[https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9qn9068q](https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9qn9068q)  \nJournal  \nMacromolecules, 58(13)  \nISSN  \n0024-9297  \nAuthors  \nWang, Yunfei  \nChan, Ka Hung Freychet, Guillaume et al.  \nPublication Date  \n2025-06-26  \nDOI  \n10.1021/acs.macromol.4c03107  \nCopyright Information  \nThis work is made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution License, available at [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)  \nPeer reviewed  \n[eScholarship.org](eScholarship.org) Powered by the California Digital Library  \nUniversity of California  \nThis article is licensed under CC-BY 4.0   \n[pubs.acs.org/Macromolecules](pubs.acs.org/Macromolecules)  Article   \nResonant Tender X‑ray Scattering for Disclosing the Backbone Conformation of Conjugated Polymers  \nYunfei Wang, Ka Hung Chan, Guillaume Freychet, Patryk Wąsik, Song Zhang, Zhiqiang Cao, and Xiaodan Gu*  \n Cite This: Macromolecules 2025, 58, 6865−6871  \nRead Online  \nDownloaded via 108.75.79.166 on August 15, 2025 at 17:13:32 (UTC) . See [https://pubs.acs.org/sharingguidelines](https://pubs.acs.org/sharingguidelines) for options on how to legitimately share published articles.  \nACCESS  \n Metrics & More  \n Article Recommendations  \n*sı   \nSupporting Information  \nABSTRACT: The backbone conformation of conjugated polymers (CPs) is essential to their performance in electronic applications. Contrast-variation small-angle neutron scattering (CV-SANS) techniques were used to assess the CP’s backbone conformation, which relies on synthesis of deuterated polymers. Such a technique has been proven mature and effective. One drawback is that deuteration labeling might subtly alter polymer’s physical properties due to structural modifications. To address these challenges, we introduce a novel approach utilizing tender Xray scattering near the sulfur K-edge to distinctly evaluate the backbone versus whole chain conformation for a low-bandgap donor−acceptor CP, poly[(5,6-difluoro- 2,1,3-benzothiadiazol-4,7-diyl)-alt-(3,3‴-dialkyl-2,2 ′;5 ′,2″;5″,2‴-quaterthiophen-5,5‴-diyl)](PffBT4T). For PffBT4T dissolved in trimethylbenzene (TMB), the sulfur K-edge is identified at approximately 2477 eV using near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS). Tender X-ray scattering conducted at presulfur K-edge and on-sulfur K-edge at elevated temperatures facilitated the distinction between the backbone and whole chain conformations. The results demonstrate that for highly flexible polymer, the backbone’s persistence length could be lower than that of the whole chains, suggesting a more flexible backbone. This rapid, label-free method enhances our ability to characterize CP’s backbone conformation efficiently, offering significant implications for the design and optimization of CPs for advanced electronics.  \n■ INTRODUCTION  \nConjugated polymers (CPs) are crucial for advancing electronic applications, such as thin-film organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), organic solar cells (OSCs), sensors, and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). 1−4 These polymers typically consist of a conjugated backbone and alkyl side chains, with the backbone primarily responsible for charge transport and thus playing a critical role in device performance.5−7 Most of the CP thin films are fabricated using solution-processing methods, such as spin-coating, drop-coating, and blade-coating. Therefore, understanding the conformation of CP’s backbonesin solution, especially the rigidity, characterized by persistence length (Lp), is essential for solid-state morphology to optimize device functionality.8−11  \nSolution scattering, particularly small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), is a well-developed method for investigating chain conformation in solution by leveraging scatter","cbCaim8YtEN0FJiJ","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaim8YtEN0FJiJ","pdf",3289778,"English","# Introduction\n## Conjugated polymer backbone importance\n## Existing solution scattering methods and limitations\n# Supporting Information\n## Abstract and methodology overview","[{\"question\":\"Why is the backbone conformation of conjugated polymers important for electronics?\",\"answer\":\"The backbone conformation governs charge transport and is crucial for device performance in applications such as OFETs, organic solar cells, sensors, and LEDs.\"},{\"question\":\"What limitation affects conventional CV-SANS approaches for studying polymer conformation?\",\"answer\":\"CV-SANS often relies on deuterated labeling, and deuteration can subtly alter the polymer’s physical properties due to structural modifications.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the tender X-ray scattering method distinguish backbone from whole-chain conformation?\",\"answer\":\"By tuning measurements near the sulfur K-edge—identifying the edge with NEXAFS and performing scattering at presulfur and on-sulfur K-edge conditions—the method separates backbone versus whole-chain contributions in the selected polymer.\"}]","Resonant Tender X-ray Scattering for Disclosing the Backbone Conformation of Conjugated Polymers | PDF",1790001716]