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In this paper, we explain why specific mixed solvent composition leads to appropriate film formation of composite (polymer: inorganic nanoparticle) during spin coating. As a typical case, P3HT:TiO2 film formation has been discussed by taking chloroform as good solvent for P3HT while ethanol, methanol, and 2-propanol are used as co-solvents for dispersing TiO2. Mixed solvent evaporation dynamics during film drying has been simulated to explain the experimental results. Present study can be immensely useful for selecting proper solvents and their initial ratio for blend film formation of a particular phase separation.

We demonstrate the use of controlling the ambient during spin coating to finely control the solvent evaporation rate in order to obtain varying degree of phase separation in P3HT:PCBM blend films and study the effect on device performance. To understand the basic phenomenon driving the phase separation, modelling study has been performed, which show that the phase separation is due to PCBM diffusion towards the nucleation site once its solubility limit is crossed during spin coating process.