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Amphiphilic PTB7-Based Rod-Coil Block Copolymer for Water-Processable Nanoparticles as an Active Layer for Sustainable Organic Photovoltaic: A Case Study. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14081588. [PMID: 35458337 PMCID: PMC9029162 DOI: 10.3390/polym14081588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
We synthetized a new rod-coil block copolymer (BCP) based on the semiconducting polymerpoly({4,8-bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-2,6-diyl}{3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b]thiophenediyl}) (PTB7) and poly-4-vinylpyridine (P4VP), tailored to produce water-processable nanoparticles (WPNPs) in blend with phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM). The copolymer PTB7-b-P4VP was completely characterized by means of two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D-NMR), matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS), size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to confirm the molecular structure. The WPNPs were prepared through an adapted miniemulsion approach without any surfactants. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images reveal the nano-segregation of two active materials inside the WPNPs. The nanostructures appear spherical with a Janus-like inner morphology. PTB7 segregated to one side of the nanoparticle, while PC71BM segregated to the other side. This morphology was consistent with the value of the surface energy obtained for the two active materials PTB7-b-P4VP and PC71BM. The WPNPs obtained were deposited as an active layer of organic solar cells (OSCs). The films obtained were characterized by UV-Visible Spectroscopy (UV-vis), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD). J-V characteristics of the WPNP-based devices were measured by obtaining a power conversion efficiency of 0.85%. Noticeably, the efficiency of the WPNP-based devices was higher than that achieved for the devices fabricated with the PTB7-based BCP dissolved in chlorinated organic solvent.
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2
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Ferretti AM, Diterlizzi M, Porzio W, Giovanella U, Ganzer L, Virgili T, Vohra V, Arias E, Moggio I, Scavia G, Destri S, Zappia S. Rod-Coil Block Copolymer: Fullerene Blend Water-Processable Nanoparticles: How Molecular Structure Addresses Morphology and Efficiency in NP-OPVs. NANOMATERIALS 2021; 12:nano12010084. [PMID: 35010034 PMCID: PMC8746663 DOI: 10.3390/nano12010084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The use of water-processable nanoparticles (WPNPs) is an emerging strategy for the processing of organic semiconducting materials into aqueous medium, dramatically reducing the use of chlorinated solvents and enabling the control of the nanomorphology in OPV active layers. We studied amphiphilic rod-coil block copolymers (BCPs) with a different chemical structure and length of the hydrophilic coil blocks. Using the BCPs blended with a fullerene acceptor material, we fabricated NP-OPV devices with a sustainable approach. The goal of this work is to clarify how the morphology of the nanodomains of the two active materials is addressed by the hydrophilic coil molecular structures, and in turn how the design of the materials affects the device performances. Exploiting a peculiar application of TEM, EFTEM microscopy on WPNPs, with the contribution of AFM and spectroscopic techniques, we correlate the coil structure with the device performances, demonstrating the pivotal influence of the chemical design over material properties. BCP5, bearing a coil block of five repeating units of 4-vinilpyridine (4VP), leads to working devices with efficiency comparable to the solution-processed ones for the multiple PCBM-rich cores morphology displayed by the blend WPNPs. Otherwise, BCP2 and BCP15, with 2 and 15 repeating units of 4VP, respectively, show a single large PCBM-rich core; the insertion of styrene units into the coil block of BCP100 is detrimental for the device efficiency, even if it produces an intermixed structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Maria Ferretti
- Laboratorio di Nanotecnologie, Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta” (SCITEC)—CNR, Sezione Via G. Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milano, Italy
- Correspondence: (A.M.F.); (S.Z.)
| | - Marianna Diterlizzi
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta” (SCITEC)—CNR, Sede Via A. Corti 12, 20133 Milano, Italy; (M.D.); (W.P.); (U.G.); (G.S.); (S.D.)
| | - William Porzio
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta” (SCITEC)—CNR, Sede Via A. Corti 12, 20133 Milano, Italy; (M.D.); (W.P.); (U.G.); (G.S.); (S.D.)
| | - Umberto Giovanella
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta” (SCITEC)—CNR, Sede Via A. Corti 12, 20133 Milano, Italy; (M.D.); (W.P.); (U.G.); (G.S.); (S.D.)
| | - Lucia Ganzer
- Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie (IFN)—CNR, P.zza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20132 Milano, Italy; (L.G.); (T.V.)
| | - Tersilla Virgili
- Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie (IFN)—CNR, P.zza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20132 Milano, Italy; (L.G.); (T.V.)
| | - Varun Vohra
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Electro-Communications, 1-5-1 Chofugaoka, Chofu, Tokyo 182-858, Japan;
| | - Eduardo Arias
- Centro de Investigación en Química Aplicada (CIQA), Boulevard Enrique Reyna 140, Saltillo 25294, Mexico; (E.A.); (I.M.)
| | - Ivana Moggio
- Centro de Investigación en Química Aplicada (CIQA), Boulevard Enrique Reyna 140, Saltillo 25294, Mexico; (E.A.); (I.M.)
| | - Guido Scavia
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta” (SCITEC)—CNR, Sede Via A. Corti 12, 20133 Milano, Italy; (M.D.); (W.P.); (U.G.); (G.S.); (S.D.)
| | - Silvia Destri
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta” (SCITEC)—CNR, Sede Via A. Corti 12, 20133 Milano, Italy; (M.D.); (W.P.); (U.G.); (G.S.); (S.D.)
| | - Stefania Zappia
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta” (SCITEC)—CNR, Sede Via A. Corti 12, 20133 Milano, Italy; (M.D.); (W.P.); (U.G.); (G.S.); (S.D.)
- Correspondence: (A.M.F.); (S.Z.)
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3
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Dolynchuk O, Schmode P, Fischer M, Thelakkat M, Thurn-Albrecht T. Elucidating the Effect of Interfacial Interactions on Crystal Orientations in Thin Films of Polythiophenes. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Oleksandr Dolynchuk
- Experimental Polymer Physics, Institute of Physics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Von-Danckelmann-Platz 3, D-06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Philip Schmode
- Applied Functional Polymers, Macromolecular Chemistry I, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, D-95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Matthias Fischer
- Experimental Polymer Physics, Institute of Physics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Von-Danckelmann-Platz 3, D-06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Mukundan Thelakkat
- Applied Functional Polymers, Macromolecular Chemistry I, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, D-95447 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bavarian Polymer Institute, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, D-95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Thomas Thurn-Albrecht
- Experimental Polymer Physics, Institute of Physics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Von-Danckelmann-Platz 3, D-06120 Halle, Germany
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4
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Holmes A, Deniau E, Lartigau-Dagron C, Bousquet A, Chambon S, Holmes NP. Review of Waterborne Organic Semiconductor Colloids for Photovoltaics. ACS NANO 2021; 15:3927-3959. [PMID: 33620200 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c10161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Development of carbon neutral and sustainable energy sources should be considered as a top priority solution for the growing worldwide energy demand. Photovoltaics are a strong candidate, more specifically, organic photovoltaics (OPV), enabling the design of flexible, lightweight, semitransparent, and low-cost solar cells. However, the active layer of OPV is, for now, mainly deposited from chlorinated solvents, harmful for the environment and for human health. Active layers processed from health and environmentally friendly solvents have over recent years formed a key focus topic of research, with the creation of aqueous dispersions of conjugated polymer nanoparticles arising. These nanoparticles are formed from organic semiconductors (molecules and macromolecules) initially designed for organic solvents. The topic of nanoparticle OPV has gradually garnered more attention, up to a point where in 2018 it was identified as a "trendsetting strategy" by leaders in the international OPV research community. Hence, this review has been prepared to provide a timely roadmap of the formation and application of aqueous nanoparticle dispersions of active layer components for OPV. We provide a thorough synopsis of recent developments in both nanoprecipitation and miniemulsion for preparing photovoltaic inks, facilitating readers in acquiring a deep understanding of the crucial synthesis parameters affecting particle size, colloidal concentration, ink stability, and more. This review also showcases the experimental levers for identifying and optimizing the internal donor-acceptor morphology of the nanoparticles, featuring cutting-edge X-ray spectromicroscopy measurements reported over the past decade. The different strategies to improve the incorporation of these inks into OPV devices and to increase their efficiency (to the current record of 7.5%) are reported, in addition to critical design choices of surfactant type and the advantages of single-component vs binary nanoparticle populations. The review naturally culminates by presenting the upscaling strategies in practice for this environmentally friendly and safer production of solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Holmes
- Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, IPREM, Pau 64012, France
| | - Elise Deniau
- Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, IPREM, Pau 64012, France
| | | | - Antoine Bousquet
- Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, IPREM, Pau 64012, France
| | - Sylvain Chambon
- LIMMS/CNRS-IIS (UMI2820), Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan
| | - Natalie P Holmes
- Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
- Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Sydney, Madsen Building F09, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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5
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Schmitt A, Samal S, Thompson BC. Tuning the surface energies in a family of poly-3-alkylthiophenes bearing hydrophilic side-chains synthesized via direct arylation polymerization (DArP). Polym Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1039/d1py00195g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A family of Poly(3-alkylthiophene) copolymers bearing different functional groups was synthesized via direct arylation polymerization and the functional group impact on surface energy, crystallinity, and electronic properties was investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Schmitt
- Department of Chemistry and Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute
- University of Southern California
- Los Angeles
- USA
| | - Sanket Samal
- Department of Chemistry and Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute
- University of Southern California
- Los Angeles
- USA
| | - Barry C. Thompson
- Department of Chemistry and Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute
- University of Southern California
- Los Angeles
- USA
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6
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Wanwong S, Sangkhun W, Kumnorkaew P, Wootthikanokkhan J. Improved Performance of Ternary Solar Cells by Using BODIPY Triads. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 13:E2723. [PMID: 32549305 PMCID: PMC7344652 DOI: 10.3390/ma13122723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Two boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) triads, namely BODIPY-1 and BODIPY-2, were synthesized and incorporated with poly-3-hexyl thiophene: (6,6)-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) P3HT:PCBM. The photovoltaic performance of BODIPY:P3HT:PCBM ternary solar cells was increased, as compared to the control binary solar cells (P3HT:PCBM). The optimized power conversion efficiency (PCE) of BODIPY-1:P3HT:PCBM was improved from 2.22% to 3.43%. The enhancement of PCE was attributed to cascade charge transfer, an improved external quantum efficiency (EQE) with increased short circuit current (Jsc), and more homogeneous morphology in the ternary blend.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sompit Wanwong
- Materials Technology Program, School of Energy, Environment and Materials, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Pracha Uthit Road, Bang Mod, Thung Khru, Bangkok 10140, Thailand; (W.S.); (J.W.)
| | - Weradesh Sangkhun
- Materials Technology Program, School of Energy, Environment and Materials, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Pracha Uthit Road, Bang Mod, Thung Khru, Bangkok 10140, Thailand; (W.S.); (J.W.)
| | - Pisist Kumnorkaew
- National Nanotechnology Center, National Science and Technology Development Agency, 111 Thailand Science Park, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand;
| | - Jatuphorn Wootthikanokkhan
- Materials Technology Program, School of Energy, Environment and Materials, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Pracha Uthit Road, Bang Mod, Thung Khru, Bangkok 10140, Thailand; (W.S.); (J.W.)
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7
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Adamczak D, Komber H, Illy A, Scaccabarozzi AD, Caironi M, Sommer M. Indacenodithiophene Homopolymers via Direct Arylation: Direct Polycondensation versus Polymer Analogous Reaction Pathways. Macromolecules 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.9b01269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Desiree Adamczak
- Institut für Chemie, Technische Universität Chemnitz, Straße der Nationen 62, 09111 Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Hartmut Komber
- Leibniz Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Anna Illy
- Institut für Chemie, Technische Universität Chemnitz, Straße der Nationen 62, 09111 Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Alberto D. Scaccabarozzi
- Center for Nano Science and Technology@PoliMi, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Pascoli 70/3, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Mario Caironi
- Center for Nano Science and Technology@PoliMi, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Pascoli 70/3, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Michael Sommer
- Institut für Chemie, Technische Universität Chemnitz, Straße der Nationen 62, 09111 Chemnitz, Germany
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8
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Zhu R, Wang Z, Gao Y, Zheng Z, Guo F, Gao S, Lu K, Zhao L, Zhang Y. Chain Engineering of Benzodifuran‐Based Wide‐Bandgap Polymers for Efficient Non‐Fullerene Polymer Solar Cells. Macromol Rapid Commun 2019; 40:e1900227. [DOI: 10.1002/marc.201900227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruoxi Zhu
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringHarbin Institute of Technology Harbin 150001 China
| | - Zhen Wang
- CAS Center for Excellence in NanoscienceNational Center for Nanoscience and Technology Beijing 100190 China
| | - Yueyue Gao
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringHarbin Institute of Technology Harbin 150001 China
| | - Zhi Zheng
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringHarbin Institute of Technology Harbin 150001 China
| | - Fengyun Guo
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringHarbin Institute of Technology Harbin 150001 China
| | - Shiyong Gao
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringHarbin Institute of Technology Harbin 150001 China
| | - Kun Lu
- CAS Center for Excellence in NanoscienceNational Center for Nanoscience and Technology Beijing 100190 China
| | - Liancheng Zhao
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringHarbin Institute of Technology Harbin 150001 China
| | - Yong Zhang
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringHarbin Institute of Technology Harbin 150001 China
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringZhengzhou University Zhengzhou 450001 China
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9
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Nyayachavadi A, Mason GT, Nazir Tahir M, Ocheje MU, Rondeau-Gagné S. Covalent Cross-Linking of Diketopyrrolopyrrole-Based Organogels with Polydiacetylenes. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2018; 34:12126-12136. [PMID: 30208712 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b02807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
A new strategy toward functional materials with novel properties and well-defined structures has been developed through the topochemical polymerization of diacetylene-containing diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) derivatives. In order to enable the efficient photopolymerization and cross-linking of the materials, a rational design of DPP-based derivatives has been performed to incorporate amide moieties, thus enabling the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds and the formation of an organogel. The new materials showed good gelation properties in aromatic solvents, resulting in the formation of a dense fibrous network in the gel state. Upon UV irradiation, the supramolecular self-assemblies obtained were shown to be efficiently cross-linked through the conversion of diacetylene into polydiacetylene. A detailed investigation of new resulting materials was performed by a combination of morphological characterization tools, including X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Our results demonstrate that the topochemical polymerization of diacetylene-containing DPP-based compounds is a promising strategy toward new electroactive and well-defined materials, without the use of catalysts or additives, thus creating new opportunities for the preparation and processing of π-conjugated materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audithya Nyayachavadi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Windsor , 401 Sunset Avenue , Windsor , Ontario , Canada N9B 3P4
| | - Gage T Mason
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Windsor , 401 Sunset Avenue , Windsor , Ontario , Canada N9B 3P4
| | - M Nazir Tahir
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Windsor , 401 Sunset Avenue , Windsor , Ontario , Canada N9B 3P4
| | - Michael U Ocheje
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Windsor , 401 Sunset Avenue , Windsor , Ontario , Canada N9B 3P4
| | - Simon Rondeau-Gagné
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Windsor , 401 Sunset Avenue , Windsor , Ontario , Canada N9B 3P4
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10
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Du X, Lin H, Chen X, Tao S, Zheng C, Zhang X. Ternary organic solar cells with a phase-modulated surface distribution via the addition of a small molecular luminescent dye to obtain a high efficiency over 10.5. NANOSCALE 2018; 10:16455-16467. [PMID: 30152834 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr04335c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Incorporation of a ternary organic component is an effective strategy to enhance the performance of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells (OSCs). In this study, a small molecule luminescent dye, C545T, was first doped into blends of PTB7-Th/PC71BM and PTB7/PC71BM as a third component to fabricate ternary OSCs. It is demonstrated that C545T can disrupt the severe vertical distribution in the binary blend and effectively modulate the novel surface chemical configuration by improving the self-assembly process of the polymer donor, as a result of the good miscibility among the active layer materials and the π-π interactions between PC71BM and C545T. The obtained homogeneously bicontinuous BHJ with numerous interpenetrating nanofibers optimizes the domain size of exciton diffusion and the length of charge transfer. The energy transfer between C545T and polymers changes the transmission path of photo-generated excitons, which together improve the exciton dissociation process and reduce the recombination loss. Champion power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 10.69% and 9.42% were achieved by the ternary blends of PTB7-Th/C545T/PC71BM and PTB7/C545T/PC71BM, respectively, which correspond to a nearly 20% enhancement over their binary counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyang Du
- School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu 610054, P. R. China.
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11
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Chen XW, Tao SL, Fan C, Chen DC, Zhou L, Lin H, Zheng CJ, Su SJ. Ternary Organic Solar Cells with Coumarin7 as the Donor Exhibiting Greater Than 10% Power Conversion Efficiency and a High Fill Factor of 75. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2017; 9:29907-29916. [PMID: 28809535 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b07704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Ternary bulk heterojunction (BHJ) is a brilliant photovoltaic technology for improving the performance of organic solar cells (OSCs), because the light absorption range can be significantly extended by using multiple donors or acceptor materials. In this paper, coumarin7 (C7), a small organic molecule typical led used in organic light-emitting diodes, was initially exploited as second electron-donor component in ternary bulk heterojunction OSCs along with conventional blend system spolythieno[3,4-b]-thiophene/benzodithiophene(PTB7) and [6,6]-phenyl-C71 -butyric acid methyl(PC71 BM). A champion PCE value of 10.28% was realized in the ternary OSCs when incorporated with 10 wt % C7 doping ratio in the donors, corresponding to about 35% enhancement compared with the PTB7:PC71BM-based OSCs, a high fill factor (FF) of 75.03%, a short-circuit currentdensity (Jsc) of 18.72 mA cm-2 and an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.73 V. The enhanced performance of the ternary OSCs can be attributed to the simultaneous improvement of the FF and the Jsc. In addition to extended light absorption, a perfect nanofiber filament active layer morphology is obtained due to the good compatibility between C7 and PTB7, which facilitates the balance of charge transportation and the suppression of charge recombination. This investigation suggests that coumarin derivatives, which have completely different structure with polymer donors, can also be used to fabricate ternary solar cells and have the potential applications to obtain amazing performance after further device engineering and optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Dong-Cheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Institute of Polymer Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology , Guangzhou 510630, P. R. China
| | | | | | | | - Shi-Jian Su
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Institute of Polymer Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology , Guangzhou 510630, P. R. China
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12
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Liu Y, Tang D, Zhang K, Huang P, Wang Z, Zhu K, Li Z, Yuan L, Fan J, Zhou Y, Song B. Tuning Surface Energy of Conjugated Polymers via Fluorine Substitution of Side Alkyl Chains: Influence on Phase Separation of Thin Films and Performance of Polymer Solar Cells. ACS OMEGA 2017; 2:2489-2498. [PMID: 31457595 PMCID: PMC6641192 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.7b00468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Different contents of fluorine in side alkyl chains were incorporated into three conjugated polymers (namely, PBDTTT-f13, PBDTTT-f9, and PBDTTT-f5) whose backbones consist of benzodithiophene donors and thienothiophene acceptors. These three fluorinated polymers, in comparison with the well-known analogue PTB7-Th, show comparable energy levels and optical band gaps. However, the fluorination of side alkyl chains significantly changed the surface energy of bulk materials, which leads to distinctly different self-assembly behaviors and phase separations as being mixed with PC71BM. The increased mismatch in surface energies between the polymer and PC71BM causes larger scale phase domains, which makes a sound explanation for the difference in their photovoltaic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfeng Liu
- College
of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Jiangsu Key
Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Institute
of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), and Collaborative
Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Dandan Tang
- College
of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Jiangsu Key
Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Institute
of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), and Collaborative
Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Kaicheng Zhang
- College
of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Jiangsu Key
Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Institute
of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), and Collaborative
Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Peng Huang
- College
of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Jiangsu Key
Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Institute
of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), and Collaborative
Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Zhaowei Wang
- College
of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Jiangsu Key
Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Institute
of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), and Collaborative
Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Kai Zhu
- College
of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Jiangsu Key
Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Institute
of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), and Collaborative
Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Zhendong Li
- College
of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Jiangsu Key
Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Institute
of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), and Collaborative
Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Ligang Yuan
- College
of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Jiangsu Key
Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Institute
of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), and Collaborative
Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Jian Fan
- College
of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Jiangsu Key
Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Institute
of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), and Collaborative
Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Yi Zhou
- College
of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Jiangsu Key
Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Institute
of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), and Collaborative
Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Bo Song
- College
of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Jiangsu Key
Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Institute
of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), and Collaborative
Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
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13
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Kisslinger R, Hua W, Shankar K. Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells Based on Blends of Conjugated Polymers with II⁻VI and IV⁻VI Inorganic Semiconductor Quantum Dots. Polymers (Basel) 2017; 9:E35. [PMID: 30970717 PMCID: PMC6431844 DOI: 10.3390/polym9020035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2016] [Revised: 01/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bulk heterojunction solar cells based on blends of quantum dots and conjugated polymers are a promising configuration for obtaining high-efficiency, cheaply fabricated solution-processed photovoltaic devices. Such devices are of significant interest as they have the potential to leverage the advantages of both types of materials, such as the high mobility, band gap tunability and possibility of multiple exciton generation in quantum dots together with the high mechanical flexibility and large molar extinction coefficient of conjugated polymers. Despite these advantages, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of these hybrid devices has remained relatively low at around 6%, well behind that of all-organic or all-inorganic solar cells. This is attributed to major challenges that still need to be overcome before conjugated polymer⁻quantum dot blends can be considered viable for commercial application, such as controlling the film morphology and interfacial structure to ensure efficient charge transfer and charge transport. In this work, we present our findings with respect to the recent development of bulk heterojunctions made from conjugated polymer⁻quantum dot blends, list the ongoing strategies being attempted to improve performance, and highlight the key areas of research that need to be pursued to further develop this technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Kisslinger
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211-116 St., Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada.
| | - Weidi Hua
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211-116 St., Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada.
| | - Karthik Shankar
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211-116 St., Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada.
- National Research Council Canada National Institute for Nanotechnology, 11421 Saskatchewan Drive NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M9, Canada.
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14
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Sun Y, Ding X, Zhang X, Huang Q, Lin B, Yang H, Guo L. Indeno[1,2-b]fluorene-based novel donor–acceptor conjugated copolymers. HIGH PERFORM POLYM 2017. [DOI: 10.1177/0954008316688247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A series of conjugated copolymers based on indeno[1,2-b]fluorene as donor unit with different acceptor units have been synthesized to explore the influences of molecular backbone planarization and acceptor electronegativity on charge transport and photovoltaic properties. Polymer incorporating 2,3-diphenylquinoxaline acceptor moiety shows poor light-harvesting capacity and inferior photovoltaic efficiency of 0.5% due to twisted geometry. By introducing the stronger acceptor thiadiazolo[3,4-c]pyridine in polymer, intramolecular charge transfer is enhanced, giving rise to improved absorption property and photovoltaic efficiency of 1.39%. However, the polymer backbone is still twisted. When thiophene-flanked diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) is incorporated as electron acceptor, the polymer exhibits a more planar molecular geometry, yielding a broader and red-shifted absorption spectrum as well as a significantly improved hole mobility of 1.46E-2 cm2 V−1 s−1. However, the photovoltaic device efficiency is only enhanced to be 1.69%. The low-lying lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of −3.95 eV as a result of the strong electron deficiency of the DPP unit may lead to the inefficient charge dissociation and increase the charge recombination, which may give rise to the limit photovoltaic performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Sun
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaojing Ding
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xueqin Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qizan Huang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Baoping Lin
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hong Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lingxiang Guo
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China
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15
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Gobalasingham NS, Noh S, Howard JB, Thompson BC. Influence of Surface Energy on Organic Alloy Formation in Ternary Blend Solar Cells Based on Two Donor Polymers. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2016; 8:27931-27941. [PMID: 27660888 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b10144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The compositional dependence of the open-circuit voltage (Voc) in ternary blend bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells is correlated with the miscibility of polymers, which may be influenced by a number of attributes, including crystallinity, the random copolymer effect, or surface energy. Four ternary blend systems featuring poly(3-hexylthiophene-co-3-(2-ethylhexyl)thiophene) (P3HT75-co-EHT25), poly(3-hexylthiophene-co-(hexyl-3-carboxylate)), herein referred to as poly(3-hexylthiophene-co-3-hexylesterthiophene) (P3HT50-co-3HET50), poly(3-hexylthiophene-thiophene-diketopyrrolopyrrole) (P3HTT-DPP-10%), and an analog of P3HTT-DPP-10% with 40% of 3-hexylthiophene exchanged for 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethylthiophen-2-yl (3MEO-T) (featuring an electronically decoupled oligoether side-chain), referred to as P3HTTDPP-MEO40%, are explored in this work. All four polymers are semicrystalline and rich in rr-P3HT content and perform well in binary devices with PC61BM. Except for P3HTTDPP-MEO40%, all polymers exhibit similar surface energies (∼21-22 mN/m). P3HTTDPP-MEO40% exhibits an elevated surface energy of around 26 mN/m. As a result, despite the similar optoelectronic properties and binary solar cell performance of P3HTTDPP-MEO40% compared to P3HTT-DPP-10%, the former exhibits a pinned Voc in two different sets of ternary blend devices. This is a stark contrast to previous rr-P3HT-based systems and demonstrates that surface energy, and its influence on miscibility, plays a critical role in the formation of organic alloys and can supersede the influence of crystallinity, the random copolymer effect, similar backbone structures, and HOMO/LUMO considerations. Therefore, we confirm surface energy compatibility as a figure-of-merit for predicting the compositional dependence of the Voc in ternary blend solar cells and highlight the importance of polymer miscibility in organic alloy formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nemal S Gobalasingham
- Department of Chemistry and Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States
| | - Sangtaik Noh
- Department of Chemistry and Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States
| | - Jenna B Howard
- Department of Chemistry and Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States
| | - Barry C Thompson
- Department of Chemistry and Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States
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16
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Howard JB, Ekiz S, Noh S, Thompson BC. Surface Energy Modification of Semi-Random P3HTT-DPP. ACS Macro Lett 2016; 5:977-981. [PMID: 35607215 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.6b00436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Alkyl solubilizing side chains on conjugated polymers can serve as a handle for modifying polymer properties. Recently, oligo-ether and semifluoro alkyl side chains were utilized to tune the surface energy of random P3HT-based polymers without changing the optical and electronic properties. Here, this method is applied to semi-random poly(3-hexylthiophene-thiophene-diketopyrrolopyrrole) (P3HTT-DPP) and the subsequent polymer device, optical, electronic, structural, and thermal properties are characterized. P3HTMETT-DPP, bearing oligo-ether side chains, exhibited higher crystallinity, closer lamellar packing, and lower temperature thermal transitions. P3HTFHTT-DPP, featuring semifluoro alkyl side chains, presented reduced crystallinity, greater lamellar packing distances, and higher temperature thermal transitions. P3HTMETT-DPP performed similarly to P3HTT-DPP under identical processing conditions, whereas P3HTFHTT-DPP had greatly reduced JSC due to lower polymer concentration necessitated by solubility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna B. Howard
- Department of Chemistry,
Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States
| | - Seyma Ekiz
- Department of Chemistry,
Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States
| | - Sangtaik Noh
- Department of Chemistry,
Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States
| | - Barry C. Thompson
- Department of Chemistry,
Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States
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17
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Chen X, Zhang Z, Ding Z, Liu J, Wang L. Diketopyrrolopyrrole-based Conjugated Polymers Bearing Branched Oligo(Ethylene Glycol) Side Chains for Photovoltaic Devices. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201602775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xingxing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry; Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Changchun 130022 P.R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing 100049 P.R. China
| | - Zijian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry; Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Changchun 130022 P.R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing 100049 P.R. China
| | - Zicheng Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry; Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Changchun 130022 P.R. China
| | - Jun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry; Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Changchun 130022 P.R. China
| | - Lixiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry; Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Changchun 130022 P.R. China
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18
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Chen X, Zhang Z, Ding Z, Liu J, Wang L. Diketopyrrolopyrrole-based Conjugated Polymers Bearing Branched Oligo(Ethylene Glycol) Side Chains for Photovoltaic Devices. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016; 55:10376-80. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201602775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2016] [Revised: 05/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xingxing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry; Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Changchun 130022 P.R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing 100049 P.R. China
| | - Zijian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry; Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Changchun 130022 P.R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing 100049 P.R. China
| | - Zicheng Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry; Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Changchun 130022 P.R. China
| | - Jun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry; Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Changchun 130022 P.R. China
| | - Lixiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry; Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Changchun 130022 P.R. China
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19
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Diketopyrrolopyrrole-based conjugated polymers as additives to optimize morphology for polymer solar cells. CHINESE JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10118-016-1761-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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20
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Sun Y, Huang Q, Zhang X, Ding X, Han P, Lin B, Yang H, Guo L. Functionalization of side chain terminals with fused aromatic rings in carbazole–diketopyrrolopyrrole based conjugated polymers for improved charge transport properties. RSC Adv 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c6ra19914c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Through functionalization of the side chain terminal with fused aromatic rings, the charge transport properties of carbazole–diketopyrrolopyrrole based polymers were improved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Sun
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Southeast University
- Nanjing 211189
- P. R. China
| | - Qizan Huang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Southeast University
- Nanjing 211189
- P. R. China
| | - Xueqin Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Southeast University
- Nanjing 211189
- P. R. China
| | - Xiaojing Ding
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Southeast University
- Nanjing 211189
- P. R. China
| | - Pei Han
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Southeast University
- Nanjing 211189
- P. R. China
| | - Baoping Lin
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Southeast University
- Nanjing 211189
- P. R. China
| | - Hong Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Southeast University
- Nanjing 211189
- P. R. China
| | - Lingxiang Guo
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Southeast University
- Nanjing 211189
- P. R. China
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21
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Howard JB, Noh S, Beier AE, Thompson BC. Fine Tuning Surface Energy of Poly(3-hexylthiophene) by Heteroatom Modification of the Alkyl Side Chains. ACS Macro Lett 2015; 4:725-730. [PMID: 35596496 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.5b00328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Recent work has pointed to polymer miscibility and surface energy as key figures of merit in the formation of organic alloys and synergistic behavior between components in ternary blend solar cells. Here, we present a simple model system and first report of poly(3-hexylthiophene)-based random copolymers featuring either a semifluoroalkyl (P3HT-co-FHT) or oligoether (P3HT-co-MET) side chain, prepared via Stille polycondensation. Water drop contact angle measurements demonstrated that P3HT-co-FHT polymers reached a minimum surface energy of 14.2 mN/m at 50% composition of comonomers, while in contrast, P3HT-co-MET polymers increased as high as 27.0 mN/m at 50% composition, compared to P3HT at 19.9 mN/m. Importantly, the surface energy of the copolymers was found to vary regularly with comonomer composition and exhibited fine-tuning. Optical and electronic properties of the polymers are found to be composition independent as determined by UV-vis and CV measurements; HOMO energy levels ranged from 5.25 to 5.30 eV; and optical band gaps all measured 1.9 eV. Following this model, surface energy modification of state-of-the-art polymers, without altering desirable electronic and optical properties, is proposed as a useful tool in identifying and exploiting more alloying polymer pairs for ternary blend solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna B. Howard
- Department of Chemistry, Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States
| | - Sangtaik Noh
- Department of Chemistry, Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States
| | - Alejandra E. Beier
- Department of Chemistry, Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States
| | - Barry C. Thompson
- Department of Chemistry, Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States
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22
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Donets S, Pershin A, Baeurle SA. Optimizing the fabrication process and interplay of device components of polymer solar cells using a field-based multiscale solar-cell algorithm. J Chem Phys 2015; 142:184902. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4919649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sergii Donets
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Regensburg, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Anton Pershin
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Regensburg, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stephan A. Baeurle
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Regensburg, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
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23
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Sun Y, Zhang C, Dai B, Lin B, Yang H, Zhang X, Guo L, Liu Y. Side chain engineering and conjugation enhancement of benzodithiophene and phenanthrenequnioxaline based conjugated polymers for photovoltaic devices. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/pola.27643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ying Sun
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Southeast University; Jiangning District Nanjing 211189 Jiangsu Province People's Republic of China
| | - Chao Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Southeast University; Jiangning District Nanjing 211189 Jiangsu Province People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Dai
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Southeast University; Jiangning District Nanjing 211189 Jiangsu Province People's Republic of China
| | - Baoping Lin
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Southeast University; Jiangning District Nanjing 211189 Jiangsu Province People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Southeast University; Jiangning District Nanjing 211189 Jiangsu Province People's Republic of China
| | - Xueqin Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Southeast University; Jiangning District Nanjing 211189 Jiangsu Province People's Republic of China
| | - Lingxiang Guo
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Southeast University; Jiangning District Nanjing 211189 Jiangsu Province People's Republic of China
| | - Yurong Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Southeast University; Jiangning District Nanjing 211189 Jiangsu Province People's Republic of China
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24
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Khlyabich PP, Rudenko AE, Burkhart B, Thompson BC. Contrasting performance of donor-acceptor copolymer pairs in ternary blend solar cells and two-acceptor copolymers in binary blend solar cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2015; 7:2322-2330. [PMID: 25590225 DOI: 10.1021/am5066267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Here two contrasting approaches to polymer-fullerene solar cells are compared. In the first approach, two distinct semi-random donor-acceptor copolymers are blended with phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) to form ternary blend solar cells. The two poly(3-hexylthiophene)-based polymers contain either the acceptor thienopyrroledione (TPD) or diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP). In the second approach, semi-random donor-acceptor copolymers containing both TPD and DPP acceptors in the same polymer backbone, termed two-acceptor polymers, are blended with PC61BM to give binary blend solar cells. The two approaches result in bulk heterojunction solar cells that have the same molecular active-layer components but differ in the manner in which these molecular components are mixed, either by physical mixing (ternary blend) or chemical "mixing" in the two-acceptor (binary blend) case. Optical properties and photon-to-electron conversion efficiencies of the binary and ternary blends were found to have similar features and were described as a linear combination of the individual components. At the same time, significant differences were observed in the open-circuit voltage (Voc) behaviors of binary and ternary blend solar cells. While in case of two-acceptor polymers, the Voc was found to be in the range of 0.495-0.552 V, ternary blend solar cells showed behavior inherent to organic alloy formation, displaying an intermediate, composition-dependent and tunable Voc in the range from 0.582 to 0.684 V, significantly exceeding the values achieved in the two-acceptor containing binary blend solar cells. Despite the differences between the physical and chemical mixing approaches, both pathways provided solar cells with similar power conversion efficiencies, highlighting the advantages of both pathways toward highly efficient organic solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petr P Khlyabich
- Department of Chemistry and Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States
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25
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Wei Y, Liu PJ, Lee RH, Chen CP. Thermally evaporable 5,10-dihydroindeno[2,1-a]indenes form efficient interfacial layers in organic solar cells. RSC Adv 2015. [DOI: 10.1039/c4ra11696h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Several bis(diarylamino)dihydroindenoindene derivatives were synthesized for use as hole transporting materials (HTMs) in OPVs. An optimized device having the structure ITO/HTM/P3HT:PCBM/Ca/Al operated with a fill factor of 67.8%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Wei
- Department of Chemistry
- Tamkang University
- New Taipei City 25137
- Republic of China
| | - Pei-Jun Liu
- Department of Chemistry
- Tamkang University
- New Taipei City 25137
- Republic of China
| | - Ren-Hao Lee
- Department of Materials Engineering
- Ming Chi University of Technology
- New Taipei City 24301
- Republic of China
| | - Chih-Ping Chen
- Department of Materials Engineering
- Ming Chi University of Technology
- New Taipei City 24301
- Republic of China
- Battery Research Center of Green Energy
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26
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Pershin A, Donets S, Baeurle SA. Photocurrent contribution from inter-segmental mixing in donor–acceptor-type polymer solar cells: A multiscale simulation study. POLYMER 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2014.06.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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27
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Khlyabich PP, Rudenko AE, Street RA, Thompson BC. Influence of polymer compatibility on the open-circuit voltage in ternary blend bulk heterojunction solar cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2014; 6:9913-9919. [PMID: 24955941 DOI: 10.1021/am502122a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of the open-circuit voltage (Voc) with composition in ternary blend bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells is correlated with the miscibility of the polymers. Ternary blends based on poly[N-9'-heptadecanyl-2,7-carbazole-alt-5,5-(4',7'-di-2-thienyl-2',1',3'-benzothiadiazole)] (PCDTBT) and poly(3-hexylthiophene-thiophene-diketopyrrolopyrrole) (P3HTT-DPP-10%) with phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) acceptor were investigated. The Voc is pinned to the lower value of the P3HTT-DPP-10%:PC61BM binary blend even up to 95% PCDTBT in the polymer fraction. This is in stark contrast to the previously investigated system based on P3HTT-DPP-10%, poly(3-hexylthiophene-co-3-(2-ethylhexyl)thiophene) (P3HT75-co-EHT25), and PC61BM, where the Voc varied regularly across the full composition range, as explained by an organic alloy model, implying strong physical and electronic interaction between the polymers. Photocurrent spectral response (PSR) and external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurements indicate that the present system does not exhibit the hallmarks of alloy formation. Measured values of the surface energies of the polymers support miscibility of P3HTT-DPP-10% with P3HT75-co-EHT25 but not with PCDTBT. Surface energy is proposed as a figure of merit for predicting alloy formation and compositional dependence of the Voc in ternary blend solar cells and miscibility between polymers is proposed as a necessary attribute for polymer pairs that will display alloy behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petr P Khlyabich
- Department of Chemistry and Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California 90089-1661, United States
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28
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Yuan J, Dong H, Li M, Huang X, Zhong J, Li Y, Ma W. High polymer/fullerene ratio realized in efficient polymer solar cells by tailoring of the polymer side-chains. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2014; 26:3624-3630. [PMID: 24633722 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201305577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2013] [Revised: 12/19/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jianyu Yuan
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, 199 Ren-Ai Road, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China
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29
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Liu X, Jeong KS, Williams BP, Vakhshouri K, Guo C, Han K, Gomez ED, Wang Q, Asbury JB. Tuning the Dielectric Properties of Organic Semiconductors via Salt Doping. J Phys Chem B 2013; 117:15866-74. [DOI: 10.1021/jp408537p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xien Liu
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Kwang S. Jeong
- Department
of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Bryan P. Williams
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and the Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Kiarash Vakhshouri
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and the Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Changhe Guo
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and the Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Kuo Han
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Enrique D. Gomez
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and the Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Qing Wang
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - John B. Asbury
- Department
of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
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30
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Dharmapurikar SS, Arulkashmir A, Das C, Muddellu P, Krishnamoorthy K. Enhanced hole carrier transport due to increased intermolecular contacts in small molecule based field effect transistors. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2013; 5:7086-7093. [PMID: 23808768 DOI: 10.1021/am401379a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Small molecules and oligomers can be synthesized with very high purity and precise molecular weights, but they often do not form uniform thin films while processed from solution. Decreased intermolecular contacts between the small molecules are another disadvantage. To increase the intermolecular contacts in small molecules, we have chosen i-indigo, as one of the conjugated molecular units. The electron poor i-indigo has been connected with electron rich triphenylamine to synthesize a donor-acceptor-donor type small molecule. The propeller shaped triphenylamine helps to increase the solubility of the small molecule as well as isotropic charge transport. The intermolecular spacing between the molecules has been found to be low and did not vary as a function of thermal annealing. This implies that the intermolecular contacts between the small molecules are enhanced, and they do not vary as a function of thermal annealing. Organic field effect transistors (OFET) fabricated using a small molecule exhibited a hole carrier mobility (μ) of 0.3 cm(2)/(V s) before thermal annealing. A marginal increase in μ was observed upon thermal annealing at 150 °C, which has been attributed to changes in thin film morphology. The morphology of the thin films plays an important role in charge transport in addition to the intermolecular spacing that can be modulated with a judicious choice of the conjugated molecular unit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satej S Dharmapurikar
- Polymer Science and Engineering Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411008, Maharashtra, India
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31
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Zhang H, Duan G, Liu G, Li Y, Xu X, Dai Z, Wang J, Cai W. Layer-controlled synthesis of WO₃ ordered nanoporous films for optimum electrochromic application. NANOSCALE 2013; 5:2460-2468. [PMID: 23407856 DOI: 10.1039/c3nr33378g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
We report on a layer-controlled fabrication of two-dimensional (2D) WO3 ordered nanoporous films via a step-by-step template-assisted strategy. For this purpose, a polystyrene sphere monolayer colloidal crystal (MCC), capable of intact transfer, is adopted as the fabrication template. WO3 nanoporous films with a monolayer (L1), bilayer (L2) and trilayer (L3) were typically constructed and technical analysis illustrates that each layer is composed of fully crystalline monoclinic WO3 nanoparticles and aggregated skeletons possessing hexagonally ordered arrangements at long range. Electrochromic characterization reveals that the ITO-based WO3 nanoporous films have long cycling stability over time and improved cation insertion/extraction capacities with increasing film layer. The inserted/extracted cations of the L2 film are nearly twice that of L1, while slightly inferior to that of L3. For the L3 film, the excessive layer thickness results in longer cation diffusion path lengths, leading to relatively poor charge reversibility. Therefore, the WO3 nanoporous bilayer films prepared in our work show optimum electrochromic properties after comprehensive characterization. Additionally, the uniform nanoporous film prepared by the proposed strategy can be successfully constructed onto a curved ceramic substrate with rough surfaces, which is still a challenge for traditional spin- or dip-coating methods. This substrate-compatible feature will facilitate construction of specific functional devices and layer-controlled fabrication by a low-cost strategy could find promising applications in chemical sensors, electrochromic windows, and so on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwen Zhang
- Key Lab of Materials Physics, Anhui Key Lab of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, Anhui, P. R. China
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32
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Donets S, Pershin A, Christlmaier MJA, Baeurle SA. A multiscale modeling study of loss processes in block-copolymer-based solar cell nanodevices. J Chem Phys 2013; 138:094901. [PMID: 23485320 DOI: 10.1063/1.4792366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Flexible photovoltaic devices possess promising perspectives in opto-electronic technologies, where high mobility and/or large-scale applicability are important. However, their usefulness in such applications is currently still limited due to the low level of optimization of their performance and durability. For the improvement of these properties, a better understanding and control of small-scale annihilation phenomena involved in the photovoltaic process, such as exciton loss and charge carrier loss, is necessary, which typically implicates multiple length- and time-scales. Here, we study the causes for their occurrence on the example of nanostructured diblock- and triblock-copolymer systems by making use of a novel solar-cell simulation algorithm and explore new routes to optimize their photovoltaic properties. A particular focus is set on the investigation of exciton and charge carrier loss phenomena and their dependence on the inter-monomeric interaction strength, chain architecture, and external mechanical loading. Our simulation results reveal that in the regime from low up to intermediate χ-parameters an increasing number of continuous percolation paths is created. In this parameter range, the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) increases up to a maximum, characterized by a minimum in the number of charge losses due to charge recombination. In the regime of high χ-parameters both block-copolymer systems form nanostructures with a large number of bottlenecks and dead ends. These lead to a large number of charge losses due to charge recombination, charge trapping, and a deteriorated exciton dissociation, resulting in a significant drop in the IQE. Moreover, we find that the photovoltaic performance of the triblock-copolymer material decreases with increasing mechanical loading, caused by a growing number of charge losses due to charge recombination and charge accumulation. Finally, we demonstrate that the process of charge trapping in defects can be reversed by changing the polarity of the electrodes, which confers these materials the ability to be used as charge storage media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergii Donets
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Regensburg, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
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33
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Xu YX, Chueh CC, Yip HL, Ding FZ, Li YX, Li CZ, Li X, Chen WC, Jen AKY. Improved charge transport and absorption coefficient in indacenodithieno[3,2-b]thiophene-based ladder-type polymer leading to highly efficient polymer solar cells. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2012; 24:6356-6361. [PMID: 23001969 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201203246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2012] [Revised: 08/27/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
A novel ladder-type donor (IDTT) is developed by substituting the two outward thiophenes of the IDT donor with two thieno[3,2-b]thiophenes. The polymer derived from this donor possesses longer effective conjugation and better planarity, which improves electron delocalization along the polymer backbone and charge mobility. The polymer solar cell device using PIDTT-DFBT shows a high power conversion efficiency of 7.03% with a large open-circuit voltage of 0.95 V without using any additives or post-solvent/thermal annealing processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Xiang Xu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195, USA
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34
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Pershin A, Donets S, Baeurle SA. A new multiscale modeling method for simulating the loss processes in polymer solar cell nanodevices. J Chem Phys 2012; 136:194102. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4712622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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35
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Sun K, Zhao B, Murugesan V, Kumar A, Zeng K, Subbiah J, Wong WWH, Jones DJ, Ouyang J. High-performance polymer solar cells with a conjugated zwitterion by solution processing or thermal deposition as the electron-collection interlayer. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.1039/c2jm35221d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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