ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the elementary principles that govern the mechanical properties of semiconducting polymers and the ways in which these materials mediate mechanical energy. Semiconducting polymers have always been associated with flexible applications, such as solar cells, active-matrix displays, and biomedical sensors. The mechanical properties of semiconducting polymers must be engineered by tuning the chemical structure, molecular weight, processing conditions, and interactions with other materials in the device stack. The presence of solubilizing pendant groups in semiconducting polymers is required for solution processing, as the unsubstituted main chain of a π-conjugated polymer is generally insoluble. The mechanical response of a solid polymer is governed principally by two structures which are characterized by different length scales: the molecular structure and the solid-state microstructure. The resulting decrease in internal, or entropic, degrees of freedom upon deformation and concomitant restoring force is the basis of linear elasticity in solid polymers.
