A facile method to prepare regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) nanorod arrays using anodic aluminium oxide templates and capillary force

Regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (RR-P3HT) nanorod arrays were prepared on the indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate by capillary force in a vacuum oven (0.855 torr, 250 °C) using a drop-coating of RR-P3HT and anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) templates. The AAO templates were prepared by a two step anodizing process in an oxalic acid electrolyte. The templates had a highly ordered structure with a uniform pore diameter of ∼55–80 nm and cell lengths of ∼100–3930 nm. With suitable temperature and capillary force in the vacuum oven, the drop-coated RR-P3HT solution infiltrated the AAO templates. After removal of the AAO template, the RR-P3HT has a nanorod array form, with diameters of ∼55 nm and heights of ∼70 nm.