1
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Ishtiaq M, Shaban M, Waqas M, Akram SJ, Mahal A, Alkhouri A, Alshomrany AS, Alatawi NS, Alotaibi HF, Shehzad RA, Assem EE, Zghab I, Khera RA. Structural modification of A-C-A configured X-PCIC acceptor molecule for efficient photovoltaic properties with low energy loss in organic solar cells. J Mol Graph Model 2024; 129:108722. [PMID: 38377792 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2024.108722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Modification of terminal acceptors of non-fullerene organic solar cell molecule with different terminal acceptors can help in screening of molecules to develop organic photovoltaic cells with improved performance. Thus, in this work, seven new molecules with an unfused core have been designed and thoroughly investigated. DFT/TD-DFT simulations were performed on studied molecules to explore the ground and excited state characteristics. UV-Visible analysis revealed the red shift in the absorption spectrum (reaching 781 nm) owing to their smaller energy gap up to 1.94 eV. Furthermore, transition density matrix analysis demonstrated that peripheral acceptors extract the electron density from the core effectively. The effectiveness of our investigated molecules as materials for high-performing organic photovoltaic cells has been shown by an examination of their electron and hole mobilities for fast charge transfer. When combined with PTB7-Th, all molecules displayed high open circuit voltage. XP5 molecule exhibited highest open circuit voltage (1.70 eV) and lowest energy loss of 0.30 eV. All designed molecules exhibit the improved aforementioned parameters, which shows that these molecules can be used to develop competent solar devices in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam Ishtiaq
- Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan
| | - Mohamed Shaban
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Islamic University of Madinah, Madinah 42351, Saudi Arabia; Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Islamic University of Madinah, Madinah 42351, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Muhammad Waqas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan
| | - Sahar Javaid Akram
- Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan
| | - Ahmed Mahal
- Department of Medical Biochemical Analysis, College of Health Technology, Cihan University-Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.
| | - Anas Alkhouri
- College of Pharmacy, Cihan University-Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
| | - Ali S Alshomrany
- Department of Physics, College of Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Al Taif HWY, Mecca, 24381, Saudi Arabia
| | - Naifa S Alatawi
- Physics Department, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, 71421, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hadil Faris Alotaibi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Princess Nourah bint AbdulRahman University, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rao Aqil Shehzad
- Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan.
| | - E E Assem
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Islamic University of Madinah, Madinah 42351, Saudi Arabia
| | - Imen Zghab
- Department of Physical Sciences, Chemistry Division, College of Science, Jazan University, P.O. Box. 114, Jazan, 45142, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Rasheed Ahmad Khera
- Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan.
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2
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Liu Z, Sun X. Instantaneous Marcus theory for photoinduced charge transfer dynamics in multistate harmonic model systems. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2024; 36:315201. [PMID: 38657642 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/ad42f2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Modeling the dynamics of photoinduced charge transfer (CT) in condensed phases presents challenges due to complicated many-body interactions and the quantum nature of electronic transitions. While traditional Marcus theory is a robust method for calculating CT rate constants between electronic states, it cannot account for the nonequilibrium effects arising from the initial nuclear state preparation. In this study, we employ the instantaneous Marcus theory (IMT) to simulate photoinduced CT dynamics. IMT incorporates nonequilibrium structural relaxation following a vertical photoexcitation from the equilibrated ground state, yielding a time-dependent rate coefficient. The multistate harmonic (MSH) model Hamiltonian characterizes an organic photovoltaic carotenoid-porphyrin-fullerene triad dissolved in explicit tetrahydrofuran solvent, constructed by mapping all-atom inputs from molecular dynamics simulations. Our calculations reveal that the electronic population dynamics of the MSH models obtained with IMT agree with the more accurate quantum-mechanical nonequilibrium Fermi's golden rule. This alignment suggests that IMT provides a practical approach to understanding nonadiabatic CT dynamics in condensed-phase systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengkui Liu
- Division of Arts and Sciences, NYU Shanghai, 567 West Yangsi Road, Shanghai 200124, People's Republic of China
- NYU-ECNU Center for Computational Chemistry at NYU Shanghai, 3663 Zhongshan Road North, Shanghai 200062, People's Republic of China
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, NY 10003, United States of America
| | - Xiang Sun
- Division of Arts and Sciences, NYU Shanghai, 567 West Yangsi Road, Shanghai 200124, People's Republic of China
- NYU-ECNU Center for Computational Chemistry at NYU Shanghai, 3663 Zhongshan Road North, Shanghai 200062, People's Republic of China
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, NY 10003, United States of America
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3
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Shoaee S, Luong HM, Song J, Zou Y, Nguyen TQ, Neher D. What We have Learnt from PM6:Y6. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2302005. [PMID: 37623325 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202302005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Over the past three years, remarkable advancements in organic solar cells (OSCs) have emerged, propelled by the introduction of Y6-an innovative A-DA'D-A type small molecule non-fullerene acceptor (NFA). This review provides a critical discussion of the current knowledge about the structural and physical properties of the PM6:Y6 material combination in relation to its photovoltaic performance. The design principles of PM6 and Y6 are discussed, covering charge transfer, transport, and recombination mechanisms. Then, the authors delve into blend morphology and degradation mechanisms before considering commercialization. The current state of the art is presented, while also discussing unresolved contentious issues, such as the blend energetics, the pathways of free charge generation, and the role of triplet states in recombination. As such, this review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the PM6:Y6 material combination and its potential for further development in the field of organic solar cells. By addressing both the successes and challenges associated with this system, this review contributes to the ongoing research efforts toward achieving more efficient and stable organic solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Safa Shoaee
- Optoelectronics of Disordered Semiconductors, Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, D-14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik, Leibniz-Institut im Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V., 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hoang M Luong
- Centre for Polymers and Organic Solids, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Jiage Song
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, P. R. China
| | - Yingping Zou
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, P. R. China
| | - Thuc-Quyen Nguyen
- Centre for Polymers and Organic Solids, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Dieter Neher
- Soft Matter Physics and Optoelectronics, Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, D-14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
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4
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Hume PA, Price MB, Hodgkiss JM. New Avenues for Organic Solar Cells Using Intrinsically Charge-Generating Materials. JACS AU 2024; 4:1295-1302. [PMID: 38665646 PMCID: PMC11040696 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.4c00046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
The molecular electron acceptor material Y6 has been a key part of the most recent surge in organic solar cell sunlight-to-electricity power conversion efficiency, which is now approaching 20%. Numerous studies have sought to understand the fundamental photophysical reasons for the exceptional performance of Y6 and its growing family of structural derivatives. Though significant uncertainty about several details remains, many have concluded that initially photogenerated excited states rapidly convert into electron-hole charge pairs in the neat material. These charge pairs are characterized by location of the electron and hole on different Y6 molecules, in contrast to the Frenkel excitons that dominate the behavior of most organic semiconductor materials. Here, we summarize the current state of knowledge regarding Y6 photophysics and the key observations that have led to it. We then link this understanding to other advances, such as the role of quadrupolar fields in donor-acceptor blends, and the importance of molecular interactions and organization in providing the structural basis for Y6's properties. Finally, we turn our attention to ways of making use of the new photophysics of Y6, and suggest molecular doping, crystal structure tuning, and electric field engineering as promising avenues for future exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A. Hume
- School
of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria
University of Wellington, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid
Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
| | - Michael B. Price
- School
of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, United Kingdom
| | - Justin M. Hodgkiss
- School
of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria
University of Wellington, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid
Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
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5
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Huang M, Han G, Yi Y. The impact of molecular orientations on the energy levels of A-D-A acceptors: implications for the charge separation driving force of organic solar cells. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:10824-10831. [PMID: 38523551 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp00303a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
The energetic landscape of charge carriers, namely the ionization potential (IP) and electron affinity (EA), can play a crucial role in the charge separation and migration processes for organic solar cells (OSCs). However, the impact of molecular orientations on the energy levels remains elusive, especially in acceptor-donor-acceptor (A-D-A) type nonfullerene acceptors (NFAs) with intrinsic anisotropy. Using the self-consistent quantum mechanics/embedded charge (sc-QM/EC) approach, we have investigated the energy level shifts from the edge-on or face-on surfaces to the bulk phase for three typical NFA crystals, IDIC-4F, INIC-4F, and Y6. The results point out that the surface-to-bulk changes in IP are limited within 0.2 eV for both the orientations due to the mutual counteraction between the electrostatic and induction effects. In sharp contrast, the EA values are substantially decreased from the bulk to the surfaces; especially, for the face-on orientation, the reduction reaches 0.5-0.8 eV. This indicates that the face-on orientation can provide a significant driving force for electrons moving from the surface or the interface to the bulk phase and thus improve the charge separation efficiency. Our work indicates that enhancing the face-on orientation is an effective method to increase the charge separation driving force for the OSCs based on A-D-A NFAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaofei Huang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
- University of Chinese Academy Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guangchao Han
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Yuanping Yi
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
- University of Chinese Academy Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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6
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Dolan A, Pan X, Griffith MJ, Sharma A, de la Perrelle JM, Baran D, Metha GF, Huang DM, Kee TW, Andersson MR. Enhanced Photocatalytic and Photovoltaic Performance Arising from Unconventionally Low Donor-Y6 Ratios. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2309672. [PMID: 38206096 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202309672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Development of both organic photovoltaics (OPVs) and organic photocatalysts has focused on utilizing the bulk heterojunction (BHJ). The BHJ promotes charge separation and enhances the carrier lifetime, but may give rise to increased charge traps, hindering performance. Here, high photocatalytic and photovoltaic performance is displayed by electron donor-acceptor (D-A) nanoparticles (NPs) and films, using the nonfullerene acceptor Y6 and polymer donor PIDT-T8BT. In contrast to conventional D-A systems, the charge generation in PIDT-T8BT:Y6 NPs is mainly driven by Y6, allowing a high performance even at a low D:A mass ratio of 1:50. The high performance at the low mass ratio is attributed to the amorphous behavior of PIDT-T8BT. Low ratios are generally thought to yield lower efficiency than the more conventional ≈1:1 ratio. However, the OPVs exhibit peak performance at a D:A ratio of 1:5. Similarly the NPs used for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution show peak performance at the 1:6.7 D:A ratio. Interestingly, for the PIDT-T8BT:Y6 system, as the polymer proportion increases, a reduced photocatalytic and photovoltaic performance is observed. The unconventional D:A ratios provide lower recombination losses and increased charge-carrier lifetime with undisrupted ambipolar charge transport in bulk Y6, enabling better performance than conventional ratios. This work reports novel light-harvesting materials in which performance is reduced due to unfavorable morphology as D:A ratios move toward conventional ratios of 1:1.2-1:1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Dolan
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
| | - Xun Pan
- Flinders Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Flinders University, Bedford Park, 5042, Australia
| | - Matthew J Griffith
- Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, 5095, Australia
- School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Anirudh Sharma
- Material Science and Engineering Program (MSE), Physical Sciences and Engineering Division (PSE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Derya Baran
- Material Science and Engineering Program (MSE), Physical Sciences and Engineering Division (PSE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Gregory F Metha
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
| | - David M Huang
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
| | - Tak W Kee
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
| | - Mats R Andersson
- Flinders Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Flinders University, Bedford Park, 5042, Australia
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7
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Sharma A, Gasparini N, Markina A, Karuthedath S, Gorenflot J, Xu H, Han J, Balawi A, Liu W, Bryant D, Bertrandie J, Troughton J, Paleti SHK, Bristow H, Laquai F, Andrienko D, Baran D. Semitransparent Organic Photovoltaics Utilizing Intrinsic Charge Generation in Non-Fullerene Acceptors. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2305367. [PMID: 38100279 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202305367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
In organic semiconductors, a donor/acceptor heterojunction is typically required for efficient dissociation of excitons. Using transient absorption spectroscopy to study the dynamics of excited states in non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs), it is shown that NFAs can generate charges without a donor/acceptor interface. This is due to the fact that dielectric solvation provides a driving force sufficient to dissociate the excited state and form the charge-transfer (CT) state. The CT state is further dissociated into free charges at interfaces between polycrystalline regions in neat NFAs. For IEICO-4F, incorporating just 9 wt% donor polymer PTB7-Th in neat films greatly boosts charge generation, enhancing efficient exciton separation into free charges. This property is utilized to fabricate donor-dilute organic photovoltaics (OPV) delivering a power conversion efficiency of 8.3% in the case of opaque devices with a metal top-electrode and an active layer average visible transmittance (AVT) of 75%. It is shown that the intrinsic charge generation in low-bandgap NFAs contributes to the overall photocurrent generation. IEICO-4F-based OPVs with limited PTB7-Th content have high thermal resilience demonstrating little drop in performance over 700 h. PTB7-Th:IEICO-4F semitransparent OPVs are leveraged to fabricate an 8-series connected semitransparent module, demonstrating light-utilization efficiency of 2.2% alongside an AVT of 63%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anirudh Sharma
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nicola Gasparini
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anastasia Markina
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Safakath Karuthedath
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
- Institute of Materials Research, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Julien Gorenflot
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Han Xu
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jianhua Han
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Balawi
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wenlan Liu
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Daniel Bryant
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jules Bertrandie
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Joel Troughton
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sri Harish Kumar Paleti
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Helen Bristow
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Frederic Laquai
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Denis Andrienko
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Derya Baran
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
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8
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Noor T, Waqas M, Shaban M, Hameed S, Ateeq-ur-Rehman, Ahmed SB, Alrafai HA, Al-Saeedi SI, Ibrahim MAA, Hadia NMA, Khera RA, Hassan AA. Designing Thieno[3,4- c]pyrrole-4,6-dione Core-Based, A 2-D-A 1-D-A 2-Type Acceptor Molecules for Promising Photovoltaic Parameters in Organic Photovoltaic Cells. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:6403-6422. [PMID: 38375499 PMCID: PMC10876087 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c04970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Nonfullerene-based organic solar cells can be utilized as favorable photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices due to their enhanced life span and efficiency. In this research, seven new molecules were designed to improve the working efficiency of organic solar cells by utilizing a terminal acceptor modification approach. The perceived A2-D-A1-D-A2 configuration-based molecules possess a lower band gap ranging from 1.95 to 2.21 eV compared to the pre-existing reference molecule (RW), which has a band gap of 2.23 eV. The modified molecules also exhibit higher λmax values ranging from 672 to 768 nm in the gaseous and 715-839 nm in solvent phases, respectively, as compared to the (RW) molecule, which has λmax values at 673 and 719 nm in gas and chloroform medium, respectively. The ground state geometries, molecular planarity parameter, and span of deviation from the plane were analyzed to study the planarity of all of the molecules. The natural transition orbitals, the density of state, molecular electrostatic potential, noncovalent interactions, frontier molecular orbitals, and transition density matrix analysis of all studied molecules were executed to validate the optoelectronic properties of these molecules. Improved charge mobilities and dipole moments were observed, as newly designed molecules possessed lower internal reorganization energies. The open circuit voltage (Voc) of W4, W5, W6, and W7 among newly designed molecules was improved as compared to the reference molecule. These results elaborate on the superiority of these novel-designed molecules over the pre-existing (RW) molecule as potential blocks for better organic solar cell applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanzeela Noor
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Waqas
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Mohamed Shaban
- Department
of Physics, Faculty of Science, Islamic
University of Madinah, Madinah 42351, Saudi Arabia
- Nanophotonics
and Applications (NPA) Lab, Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62514, Egypt
| | - Shanza Hameed
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Ateeq-ur-Rehman
- Department
of Physics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Samia Ben Ahmed
- Departement
of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid
University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia
| | - H. A. Alrafai
- Departement
of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid
University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sameerah I. Al-Saeedi
- Department
of Chemistry, Collage of Science, Princess
Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mahmoud A. A. Ibrahim
- Chemistry
Department, Faculty of Science, Minia University, Minia 61519, Egypt
- School
of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - N. M. A. Hadia
- Physics
Department, College of Science, Jouf University, P.O. Box 2014, Sakaka 2014, Al-Jouf, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rasheed Ahmad Khera
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Abeer A. Hassan
- Departement
of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid
University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia
- Department
of chemistry, Faculty of science for Girls, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11566, Egypt
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9
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Lüer L, Wang R, Liu C, Dube H, Heumüller T, Hauch J, Brabec CJ. Maximizing Performance and Stability of Organic Solar Cells at Low Driving Force for Charge Separation. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2305948. [PMID: 38039433 PMCID: PMC10853714 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Thanks to the development of novel electron acceptor materials, the power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices are now approaching 20%. Further improvement of PCE is complicated by the need for a driving force to split strongly bound excitons into free charges, causing voltage losses. This review discusses recent approaches to finding efficient OPV systems with minimal driving force, combining near unity quantum efficiency (maximum short circuit currents) with optimal energy efficiency (maximum open circuit voltages). The authors discuss apparently contradicting results on the amount of exciton binding in recent literature, and approaches to harmonize the findings. A comprehensive view is then presented on motifs providing a driving force for charge separation, namely hybridization at the donor:acceptor interface and polarization effects in the bulk, of which quadrupole moments (electrostatics) play a leading role. Apart from controlling the energies of the involved states, these motifs also control the dynamics of recombination processes, which are essential to avoid voltage and fill factor losses. Importantly, all motifs are shown to depend on both molecular structure and process conditions. The resulting high dimensional search space advocates for high throughput (HT) workflows. The final part of the review presents recent HT studies finding consolidated structure-property relationships in OPV films and devices from various deposition methods, from research to industrial upscaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larry Lüer
- Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i‐MEET)Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐NürnbergMartensstrasse 791058ErlangenGermany
| | - Rong Wang
- Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i‐MEET)Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐NürnbergMartensstrasse 791058ErlangenGermany
- Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies (SAOT)Paul‐Gordan‐Straße 691052ErlangenGermany
| | - Chao Liu
- Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i‐MEET)Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐NürnbergMartensstrasse 791058ErlangenGermany
| | - Henry Dube
- Department Chemistry and PharmacyFriedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐NürnbergNikolaus‐Fiebiger‐Straße 1091058ErlangenGermany
| | - Thomas Heumüller
- Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i‐MEET)Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐NürnbergMartensstrasse 791058ErlangenGermany
| | - Jens Hauch
- Helmholtz‐Institute Erlangen‐Nürnberg (HI‐ERN)Immerwahrstraße 291058ErlangenGermany
| | - Christoph J. Brabec
- Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i‐MEET)Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐NürnbergMartensstrasse 791058ErlangenGermany
- Helmholtz‐Institute Erlangen‐Nürnberg (HI‐ERN)Immerwahrstraße 291058ErlangenGermany
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10
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Hassan AU, Sumrra SH, Zubair M, Mohyuddin A, Mustafa G. Design and Exploration of Benzene Like Azobis Triazoles for Long-range Push-Pull Photo-Switching Attributes. J Fluoresc 2023:10.1007/s10895-023-03532-5. [PMID: 38157087 DOI: 10.1007/s10895-023-03532-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
This research paper presents a comprehensive study on the design and photovoltaic parameters of azobenzene type 24 photo switches (PSs) of triazole by density functional theory (DFT). The focus was on investigating how to create a long-range push-pull effect of different substituents on the PS properties for their application in photovoltaics by further substituent decoration. Their range of values for the maximum wavelength (λmax) ranged 315-556 nm while their HOMO-LUMO energies (Egaps) were 0.57-6.35eV. The stability of the PS was evaluated by measuring hardness (η) and softness (σ) values. Additionally, photovoltaic parameters such as open-circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current density (Jsc), fill factor (FF), and maximum power (Pmax) were calculated to assess the performance of the PS as photovoltaic materials. The results revealed that PSs 6 exhibited promising photovoltaic parameters to include Voc values ranging from 0.4-1.63eV, FF values ranging from 0.5438-0.929, Jsc values ranging from 19.27-50.75 mA/cm2, and Pmax values ranging from 14.72-75.91W. This indicates its potential as an efficient light-harvesting material for photovoltaic applications. Moreover, this study presents a pioneering investigation on the correlation between rotational velocity (R) and Mayer bond index (MBI) for the first time. The findings revealed a significant correlation between R and MBI, providing valuable insights into the structural dynamics of the PS. This novel finding opens up new avenues for understanding the structural dynamics of PS and their potential applications in various fields, including photovoltaics. The study provides valuable insights into the structure-property relationships of azobenzene-based PS and their suitability for photovoltaic devices. Further investigations are warranted to optimize the design of the PS, enhance their photovoltaic performance, and explore the underlying mechanisms of the correlation between R and MBIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abrar U Hassan
- Lunan Research Institute of Beijing Institute of Technology, 888 Zhengtai Road, Tengzhou, 277599, China.
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China.
| | - Sajjad H Sumrra
- Department of Chemistry, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, 50700, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Zubair
- Department of Chemistry, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, 50700, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Ayesha Mohyuddin
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, 54770, Pakistan
| | - Ghulam Mustafa
- Department of Chemistry, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, 50700, Punjab, Pakistan
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11
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Park SY, Labanti C, Pacalaj RA, Lee TH, Dong Y, Chin YC, Luke J, Ryu G, Minami D, Yun S, Park JI, Fang F, Park KB, Durrant JR, Kim JS. The State-of-the-Art Solution-Processed Single Component Organic Photodetectors Achieved by Strong Quenching of Intermolecular Emissive State and High Quadrupole Moment in Non-Fullerene Acceptors. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023:e2306655. [PMID: 37670609 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202306655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
A bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) blend is commonly used as the photoactive layer in organic photodetectors (OPDs) to utilize the donor (D)/acceptor (A) interfacial energetic offset for exciton dissociation. However, this strategy often complicates optimization procedures, raising serious concerns over device processability, reproducibility, and stability. Herein, highly efficient OPDs fabricated with single-component organic semiconductors are demonstrated via solution-processing. The non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) with strong intrinsic D/A character are used as the photoactive layer, where the emissive intermolecular charge transfer excitonic (CTE) states are formed within <1 ps, and efficient photocurrent generation is achieved via strong quenching of these CTE states by reverse bias. Y6 and IT-4F-based OPDs show excellent OPD performances, low dark current density (≈10-9 A cm-2 ), high responsivity (≥0.15 A W-1 ), high specific detectivity (>1012 Jones), and fast photo-response time (<10 µs), comparable to the state-of-the-art BHJ OPDs. Together with strong CTE state quenching by electric field, these excellent OPD performances are also attributed to the high quadrupole moments of NFA molecules, which can lead to large interfacial energetic offset for efficient CTE dissociation. This work opens a new way to realize efficient OPDs using single-component systems via solution-processing and provides important molecular design rules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Yi Park
- Department of Physics and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Chiara Labanti
- Department of Physics and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Richard A Pacalaj
- Department of Chemistry and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, White City Campus, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Tack Ho Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, White City Campus, London, W12 0BZ, UK
- Department of Chemistry Education, Graduate Department of Chemical Materials, Institute for Plastic Information and Energy Materials, Sustainable Utilization of Photovoltaic Energy Research Center, Pusan National University, 46241, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Yifan Dong
- Department of Chemistry and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, White City Campus, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Yi-Chun Chin
- Department of Physics and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Joel Luke
- Department of Physics and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Gihan Ryu
- Department of Physics and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Daiki Minami
- CSE team, Innovation Center, Samsung Electronics, Co. Ltd., 1 Samsungjeonja-ro, Hwasung-si, Gyeonggi-do, 18448, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungyoung Yun
- Organic Materials Lab, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Samsung-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 16678, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Il Park
- Organic Materials Lab, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Samsung-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 16678, Republic of Korea
| | - Feifei Fang
- Organic Materials Lab, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Samsung-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 16678, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Bae Park
- Organic Materials Lab, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Samsung-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 16678, Republic of Korea
| | - James R Durrant
- Department of Chemistry and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, White City Campus, London, W12 0BZ, UK
- SPECIFIC IKC, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 7AX, UK
| | - Ji-Seon Kim
- Department of Physics and Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
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12
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Liu Q, Vandewal K. Understanding and Suppressing Non-Radiative Recombination Losses in Non-Fullerene Organic Solar Cells. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2302452. [PMID: 37201949 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202302452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Organic solar cells benefit from non-fullerene acceptors (NFA) due to their high absorption coefficients, tunable frontier energy levels, and optical gaps, as well as their relatively high luminescence quantum efficiencies as compared to fullerenes. Those merits result in high yields of charge generation at a low or negligible energetic offset at the donor/NFA heterojunction, with efficiencies over 19% achieved for single-junction devices. Pushing this value significantly over 20% requires an increase in open-circuit voltage, which is currently still well below the thermodynamic limit. This can only be achieved by reducing non-radiative recombination, and hereby increasing the electroluminescence quantum efficiency of the photo-active layer. Here, current understanding of the origin of non-radiative decay, as well as an accurate quantification of the associated voltage losses are summarized. Promising strategies for suppressing these losses are highlighted, with focus on new material design, optimization of donor-acceptor combination, and blend morphology. This review aims at guiding researchers in their quest to find future solar harvesting donor-acceptor blends, which combine a high yield of exciton dissociation with a high yield of radiative free carrier recombination and low voltage losses, hereby closing the efficiency gap with inorganic and perovskite photovoltaics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Liu
- Hasselt University, IMOMEC, Wetenschapspark 1, Diepenbeek, 3590, Belgium
- Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Research Center of Energy Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, China
| | - Koen Vandewal
- Hasselt University, IMOMEC, Wetenschapspark 1, Diepenbeek, 3590, Belgium
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Ham G, Lee D, Park C, Cha H. Charge Carrier Dynamics in Non-Fullerene Acceptor-Based Organic Solar Cells: Investigating the Influence of Processing Additives Using Transient Absorption Spectroscopy. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:5712. [PMID: 37630003 PMCID: PMC10456882 DOI: 10.3390/ma16165712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we present a comprehensive investigation into the charge generation mechanism in bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells employing non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) both with and without the presence of processing additives. While photovoltaic devices based on Y6 or BTP-eC9 have shown remarkable power conversion efficiencies, the underlying charge generation mechanism in polymer:NFA blends remains poorly understood. To shed light on this, we employ transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy to elucidate the charge transfer pathway within a blend of the donor polymer PM6 and NFAs. Interestingly, the charge carrier lifetimes of neat Y6 and BTP-eC9 are comparable, both reaching up to 20 ns. However, the PM6:BTP-eC9 blend exhibits substantially higher charge carrier generation and a longer carrier lifetime compared to PM6:Y6 blend films, leading to superior performance. By comparing TA data obtained from PM6:Y6 or PM6:BTP-eC9 blend films with and without processing additives, we observe significantly enhanced charge carrier generation and prolonged charge carrier lifetimes in the presence of these additives. These findings underscore the potential of manipulating excited species as a promising avenue for further enhancing the performance of organic solar cells. Moreover, this understanding contributes to the advancement of NFA-based systems and the optimization of charge transfer processes in polymer:NFA blends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayoung Ham
- Department of Energy Convergence and Climate Change, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Damin Lee
- Department of Hydrogen and Renewable Energy, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Changwoo Park
- Department of Hydrogen and Renewable Energy, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyojung Cha
- Department of Energy Convergence and Climate Change, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
- Department of Hydrogen and Renewable Energy, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
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14
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Xiang Y, Xu C, Zheng S. Increasing Charge Carrier Mobility through Modifications of Terminal Groups of Y6: A Theoretical Study. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:8610. [PMID: 37239952 PMCID: PMC10218651 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The applications of non-fullerene acceptor Y6 with a new type of A1-DA2D-A1 framework and its derivatives have increased the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic solar cells (OSCs) up to 19%. Researchers have made various modifications of the donor unit, central/terminal acceptor unit, and side alkyl chains of Y6 to study the influences on the photovoltaic properties of OSCs based on them. However, up to now, the effect of changes of terminal acceptor parts of Y6 on the photovoltaic properties is not very clear. In the present work, we have designed four new acceptors-Y6-NO2, Y6-IN, Y6-ERHD, and Y6-CAO-with different terminal groups, which possess diverse electron-withdrawing ability. Computed results show that with the enhanced electron-withdrawing ability of the terminal group, the fundamental gaps become lower; thus, the wavelengths of the main absorption peaks of UV-Vis spectra red-shifts and total oscillator strength increase. Simultaneously, the electron mobility of Y6-NO2, Y6-IN, and Y6-CAO is about six, four, and four times faster than that of Y6, respectively. Overall, Y6-NO2 could be a potential NFA because of its longer intramolecular charge-transfer distance, stronger dipole moment, higher averaged ESP, enhanced spectrum, and faster electron mobility. This work provides a guideline for the future research on modification of Y6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjie Xiang
- School of Materials and Energy, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Technologies of Clean Energies, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Chunlin Xu
- School of Materials and Energy, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Technologies of Clean Energies, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Shaohui Zheng
- School of Materials and Energy, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Technologies of Clean Energies, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
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