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Li Z, Wang Q, Chen Q, Meng S, Bai Y, Xue L, Xue J, Zhang ZG. Dimeric Small Molecule Acceptors via Terminal-End Connections: Effect of Flexible Linker Length on Photovoltaic Performance. Macromol Rapid Commun 2024:e2400628. [PMID: 39225656 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202400628] [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: 08/02/2024] [Revised: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
The dimerization of small molecule acceptors (SMAs) holds significant potential by combining the advantages of both SMAs and polymer acceptors in realizing high power conversion efficiency (PCE) and operational stability in organic solar cells (OSCs). However, advancements in the selection and innovation of dimeric linkers are still challenging in enhancing their performance. In this study, three new dimeric acceptors, namely DY-Ar-4, DY-Ar-5, and DY-Ar-6 are synthesized, by linking two Y-series SMA subunits via an "end-to-end" strategy using flexible spacers (octyl, decyl, and dodecyl, respectively). The influence of spacer lengths on device performance is systematically investigated. The results indicate that DY-Ar-5 exhibits more compact and ordered packing, leading to an optimal morphology. OSCs based on PM6: DY-Ar-5 achieves a maximum PCE of 15.76%, attributes to enhance and balance carrier mobility, and reduce carrier recombination. This dimerization strategy using suitable non-conjugated linking units provides a rational principle for designing high-performance non-fullerene acceptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengkai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
| | - Qingyuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
| | - Qi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
| | - Shixin Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
| | - Yang Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
- College of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Huanghuai University, Zhumadian, Henan, 463000, P. R. China
| | - Lingwei Xue
- Yaoshan Laboratory, Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan, Henan, 467000, P. R. China
| | - Jing Xue
- Petrochemical Research Institute of PetroChina Company Limited, Beijing, 102206, P. R. China
| | - Zhi-Guo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
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2
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Wu J, Sun F, Wang X, Chen Q, Franco LR, Zheng X, Araujo CM, Yang R, Yu D, Wang E. Unveiling the Influence of Linkers on Conformations of Oligomeric Acceptors for High-Performance Polymer Solar Cells. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2406772. [PMID: 39206722 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202406772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Conformational isomerism of organic photovoltaic materials has a profound impact on their molecular packing and therefore performance of polymer solar cells (PSCs). However, the conformations of oligomeric acceptors (OAs) are mostly predicted by simulations rather than experimental determinations. Herein, the stereochemical S-shaped structure of two dimeric-type acceptor molecules, V-DYIC and V-DYIC-4F, is first confirmed with different end groups (IC for V-DYIC and IC-2F for V-DYIC-4F), incorporating vinylene linkage for connecting the distinct state-of-the-art small molecule acceptor Y-segments. Through the synthetic control of fluorination sites adjacent to the vinyl-linker, S-shaped the conformation by NMR experiments is validated. Compared to the O-shaped dimer, S-shaped conformation results in enhanced lamellar order and reduced nonradiative recombination losses. The optimal acceptor, V-DYIC-4F, achieved a champion efficiency of 18.10% with the lowest energy loss of 0.556 eV in its devices paired with PM6 due to their efficient carrier transport, and suppressed recombination compared to other devices, being attributed to the synergistic effect of conformation and end group fluorination. The insights gained in this work contribute valuable knowledge of both synthetic control and structural determination of OAs, providing strategic design guidelines for the future development of dimeric acceptors toward high-efficiency PSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingnan Wu
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, SE-412 96, Sweden
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, DK-9220, Denmark
| | - Fengbo Sun
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Chemical Materials and Devices (Ministry of Education), School of Optoelectronic Materials & Technology, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China
| | - Xunchang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Chemical Materials and Devices (Ministry of Education), School of Optoelectronic Materials & Technology, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China
| | - Qiaonan Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, SE-412 96, Sweden
| | - Leandro R Franco
- Department of Engineering and Physics, Karlstad University, Karlstad, 65188, Sweden
| | - Xufan Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Chemical Materials and Devices (Ministry of Education), School of Optoelectronic Materials & Technology, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China
| | - C Moyses Araujo
- Department of Engineering and Physics, Karlstad University, Karlstad, 65188, Sweden
- Materials Theory Division, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 75120, Sweden
| | - Renqiang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Chemical Materials and Devices (Ministry of Education), School of Optoelectronic Materials & Technology, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China
| | - Donghong Yu
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, DK-9220, Denmark
- Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Aarhus, DK-8000, Denmark
| | - Ergang Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, SE-412 96, Sweden
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3
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Liu H, Geng Y, Xiao Z, Ding L, Du J, Tang A, Zhou E. The Development of Quinoxaline-Based Electron Acceptors for High Performance Organic Solar Cells. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2404660. [PMID: 38890789 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202404660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
In the recent advances of organic solar cells (OSCs), quinoxaline (Qx)-based nonfullerene acceptors (QxNFAs) have attracted lots of attention and enabled the recorded power conversion efficiency approaching 20%. As an excellent electron-withdrawing unit, Qx possesses advantages of many modifiable sites, wide absorption range, low reorganization energy, and so on. To develop promising QxNFAs to further enhance the photovoltaic performance of OSCs, it is necessary to systematically summarize the QxNFAs reported so far. In this review, all the focused QxNFAs are classified into five categories as following: SM-Qx, YQx, fused-YQx, giant-YQx, and polymer-Qx according to the molecular skeletons. The molecular design concepts, relationships between the molecular structure and optoelectronic properties, intrinsic mechanisms of device performance are discussed in detail. At the end, the advantages of this kind of materials are summed up, the molecular develop direction is prospected, the challenges faced by QxNFAs are given, and constructive solutions to the existing problems are advised. Overall, this review presents unique viewpoints to conquer the challenge of QxNFAs and thus boost OSCs development further toward commercial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxing Liu
- Henan Institute of Advanced Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China
- National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Yanfang Geng
- National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Zuo Xiao
- National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Liming Ding
- National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Jimin Du
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anyang Normal University, Anyang, Henan Province, 455002, China
| | - Ailing Tang
- National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Erjun Zhou
- National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
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4
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Yin H, Xie G, Wu T, Liu S, Chen D, Chen Y. The Conjugated/Non-Conjugated Linked Dimer Acceptors Enable Efficient and Stable Flexible Organic Solar Cells. Macromol Rapid Commun 2024:e2400433. [PMID: 39023423 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202400433] [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: 06/08/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
The fabrication of the flexible devices with excellent photovoltaic performance and stability is critical for the commercialization of organic solar cells (OSCs). Herein, the conjugated dimer acceptor DY-TVCl and the non-conjugated dimer acceptor DY-3T based on the monomer MY-BO are synthesized to regulate the molecular glass transition temperatures (Tg) for improving the morphology stability of active layer films. And the crack onset strain values for the blend films based on dimer acceptors are superior than that of small molecule, which are beneficial for the preparation of flexible devices. Accordingly, the binary device based on PM6:DY-TVCl achieves a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 18.01%. Meanwhile, the extrapolated T80 (time to reach 80% of initial PCE) lifetimes of the PM6:DY-TVCl-based device and PM6:DY-3T-based device are 3091 and 2227 h under 1-sun illumination, respectively, which are better than that of the PM6:MY-BO-based device (809 h). Furthermore, the flexible devices based on DY-TVCl and DY-3T exhibit the efficiencies of 15.23% and 14.34%, respectively. This work affords a valid approach to improve the stability and mechanical robustness of OSCs, as well as ensuring the reproducibility of organic semiconductors during mass production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoran Yin
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/Key Laboratory of Fluorine and Silicon for Energy Materials and Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Jiangxi Normal University, 99 Ziyang Avenue, Nanchang, 330022, China
| | - Gang Xie
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/Key Laboratory of Fluorine and Silicon for Energy Materials and Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Jiangxi Normal University, 99 Ziyang Avenue, Nanchang, 330022, China
| | - Tuhong Wu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/Key Laboratory of Fluorine and Silicon for Energy Materials and Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Jiangxi Normal University, 99 Ziyang Avenue, Nanchang, 330022, China
| | - Siqi Liu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/Key Laboratory of Fluorine and Silicon for Energy Materials and Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Jiangxi Normal University, 99 Ziyang Avenue, Nanchang, 330022, China
| | - Dong Chen
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/Key Laboratory of Fluorine and Silicon for Energy Materials and Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Jiangxi Normal University, 99 Ziyang Avenue, Nanchang, 330022, China
| | - Yiwang Chen
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/Key Laboratory of Fluorine and Silicon for Energy Materials and Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Jiangxi Normal University, 99 Ziyang Avenue, Nanchang, 330022, China
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering/Film Energy Chemistry for Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory (FEC), Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang, 330031, China
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5
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Qi F, Li Y, Lin FR, Jen AKY. Recent Progress of Oligomeric Non-Fullerene Acceptors for Efficient and Stable Organic Solar Cells. CHEMSUSCHEM 2024; 17:e202301559. [PMID: 38372481 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202301559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Organic solar cells (OSCs) have achieved remarkable power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of over 19 % in the past few years due to the rapid development of non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs). However, the operational stability remains a great challenge that inhibits their commercialization. Recently, oligomeric NFAs (ONFAs) have attracted great attention, which not only can deliver excellent device performance, but also improve the thermal-/photo- stability of OSCs. This is attributed to the suppressed molecular diffusion of ONFAs associated with their high glass-transition temperature (Tg) and improved thermodynamic properties of ONFAs. Herein, we focus on investigating the correction between the ONFA chemical structure, material properties, device performance, and stability. In addition, we also try to point out the challenges in synthesizing ONFAs and provide potential directions for future ONFA designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Qi
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
- Hong Kong Institute for Clean Energy, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Yanxun Li
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
- Hong Kong Institute for Clean Energy, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Francis R Lin
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
- Hong Kong Institute for Clean Energy, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Alex K-Y Jen
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
- Hong Kong Institute for Clean Energy, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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6
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Zhou Q, Yan C, Li H, Zhu Z, Gao Y, Xiong J, Tang H, Zhu C, Yu H, Lopez SPG, Wang J, Qin M, Li J, Luo L, Liu X, Qin J, Lu S, Meng L, Laquai F, Li Y, Cheng P. Polymer Fiber Rigid Network with High Glass Transition Temperature Reinforces Stability of Organic Photovoltaics. NANO-MICRO LETTERS 2024; 16:224. [PMID: 38888701 PMCID: PMC11189398 DOI: 10.1007/s40820-024-01442-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) need to overcome limitations such as insufficient thermal stability to be commercialized. The reported approaches to improve stability either rely on the development of new materials or on tailoring the donor/acceptor morphology, however, exhibiting limited applicability. Therefore, it is timely to develop an easy method to enhance thermal stability without having to develop new donor/acceptor materials or donor-acceptor compatibilizers, or by introducing another third component. Herein, a unique approach is presented, based on constructing a polymer fiber rigid network with a high glass transition temperature (Tg) to impede the movement of acceptor and donor molecules, to immobilize the active layer morphology, and thereby to improve thermal stability. A high-Tg one-dimensional aramid nanofiber (ANF) is utilized for network construction. Inverted OPVs with ANF network yield superior thermal stability compared to the ANF-free counterpart. The ANF network-incorporated active layer demonstrates significantly more stable morphology than the ANF-free counterpart, thereby leaving fundamental processes such as charge separation, transport, and collection, determining the device efficiency, largely unaltered. This strategy is also successfully applied to other photovoltaic systems. The strategy of incorporating a polymer fiber rigid network with high Tg offers a distinct perspective addressing the challenge of thermal instability with simplicity and universality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao Zhou
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, People's Republic of China
| | - Cenqi Yan
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hongxiang Li
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhendong Zhu
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, People's Republic of China
| | - Yujie Gao
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Xiong
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, People's Republic of China
| | - Hua Tang
- KAUST Solar Center, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Can Zhu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, People's Republic of China
| | - Hailin Yu
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, People's Republic of China
| | - Sandra P Gonzalez Lopez
- KAUST Solar Center, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Jiayu Wang
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, People's Republic of China
| | - Meng Qin
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianshu Li
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, People's Republic of China
| | - Longbo Luo
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiangyang Liu
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiaqiang Qin
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, People's Republic of China
| | - Shirong Lu
- Department of Material Science and Technology, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Meng
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, People's Republic of China
| | - Frédéric Laquai
- KAUST Solar Center, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Yongfang Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, People's Republic of China
| | - Pei Cheng
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, People's Republic of China.
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7
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Xie M, Wei Z, Lu K. Quinoxaline-based Y-type acceptors for organic solar cells. Chem Sci 2024; 15:8265-8279. [PMID: 38846384 PMCID: PMC11151842 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc01481b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Minimizing energy loss plays a critical role in the quest for high-performance organic solar cells (OSCs). However, the origin of large energy loss in OCSs is complicated, involving the strong exciton binding energy of organic semiconductors, nonradiative charge-transfer state decay, defective molecular stacking network, and so on. The recently developed quinoxaline (Qx)-based acceptors have attracted extensive interest due to their low reorganization energy, high structural modification possibilities, and distinctive molecular packing modes, which contribute to reduced energy loss and superior charge generation/transport, thus improving the photovoltaic performance of OSCs. This perspective summarizes the design strategies of Qx-based acceptors (including small-molecule, giant dimeric and polymeric acceptors) and the resulting optoelectronic properties and device performance. In addition, the ternary strategy of introducing Qx-based acceptors as the third component to reduce energy loss is briefly discussed. Finally, some perspectives for the further exploration of Qx-based acceptors toward efficient, stable, and industry-compatible OSCs are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiling Xie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology Beijing 100190 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
| | - Zhixiang Wei
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology Beijing 100190 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
| | - Kun Lu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology Beijing 100190 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
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8
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Fu H, Wang Q, Chen Q, Zhang Y, Meng S, Xue L, Zhang C, Yi Y, Zhang ZG. Dimeric Giant Molecule Acceptors Featuring N-type Linker: Enhancing Intramolecular Coupling for High-Performance Polymer Solar Cells. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202403005. [PMID: 38382043 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202403005] [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: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Giant molecular acceptors (GMAs) are typically designed through the conjugated linking of individual small molecule acceptors (SMAs). This design imparts an extended molecular size, elevating the glass transition temperature (Tg) relative to their SMA counterparts. Consequently, it effectively suppresses the thermodynamic relaxation of the acceptor component when blended with polymer donors to construct stable polymer solar cells (PSCs). Despite their merits, the optimization of their chemical structure for further enhancing of device performance remains challenge. Different from previous reports utilizing p-type linkers, here, we explore an n-type linker, specifically the benzothiadiazole unit, to dimerize the SMA units via a click-like Knoevenagel condensation, affording BT-DL. In comparison with B-DL with a benzene linkage, BT-DL exhibits significantly stronger intramolecular super-exchange coupling, a desirable property for the acceptor component. Furthermore, BT-DL demonstrates a higher film absorption coefficient, redshifted absorption, larger crystalline coherence, and higher electron mobility. These inherent advantages of BT-DL translate into a higher power conversion efficiency of 18.49 % in PSCs, a substantial improvement over the 9.17 % efficiency observed in corresponding devices with B-DL as the acceptor. Notably, the BT-DL based device exhibits exceptional stability, retaining over 90 % of its initial efficiency even after enduring 1000 hours of thermal stress at 90 °C. This work provides a cost-effective approach to the synthesis of n-type linker-dimerized GMAs, and highlight their potential advantage in enhancing intramolecular coupling for more efficient and durable photovoltaic technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyuan Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Qingyuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Qi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yaogang Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Shixin Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Lingwei Xue
- Yaoshan Laboratory, Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan, Henan, 467000, P. R. China
| | - Chunfeng Zhang
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Physics, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P. R. 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
| | - Zhi-Guo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
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9
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Lee JW, Park JS, Jeon H, Lee S, Jeong D, Lee C, Kim YH, Kim BJ. Recent progress and prospects of dimer and multimer acceptors for efficient and stable polymer solar cells. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:4674-4706. [PMID: 38529583 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00895a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
High power conversion efficiency (PCE) and long-term stability are essential prerequisites for the commercialization of polymer solar cells (PSCs). Small-molecule acceptors (SMAs) are core materials that have led to recent, rapid increases in the PCEs of the PSCs. However, a critical limitation of the resulting PSCs is their poor long-term stability. Blend morphology degradation from rapid diffusion of SMAs with low glass transition temperatures (Tgs) is considered the main cause of the poor long-term stability of the PSCs. The recent emergence of oligomerized SMAs (OSMAs), composed of two or more repeating SMA units (i.e., dimerized and trimerized SMAs), has shown great promise in overcoming these challenges. This innovation in material design has enabled OSMA-based PSCs to reach impressive PCEs near 19% and exceptional long-term stability. In this review, we summarize the evolution of OSMAs, including their research background and recent progress in molecular design. In particular, we discuss the mechanisms for high PCE and stability of OSMA-based PSCs and suggest useful design guidelines for high-performance OSMAs. Furthermore, we reflect on the existing hurdles and future directions for OSMA materials towards achieving commercially viable PSCs with high PCEs and operational stabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Woo Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jin Su Park
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hyesu Jeon
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Seungjin Lee
- Advanced Energy Materials Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Dahyun Jeong
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Changyeon Lee
- School of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Hi Kim
- Department of Chemistry and RINS, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
| | - Bumjoon J Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
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10
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Li R, Hu Y, Xu Y, Wang C, Li X, Liang S, Liu B, Li W. Dimerized Nonfused Electron Acceptor Based on a Thieno[3,4- c]pyrrole-4,6-dione Core for Organic Solar Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:22256-22264. [PMID: 38651607 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c01354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
In this work, the first dimerized nonfused electron acceptor (NFEA), based on thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione as the core, has been designed and synthesized. The dimerized acceptor and its single counterpart exhibit similar energy levels but different absorption spectra due to their distinct aggregation behavior. The dimerized acceptor-based organic solar cells (OSCs) demonstrate a higher power conversion efficiency of 11.05%, accompanied by enhanced thermal stability. This improvement is attributed to the enhancement of the short-circuit current density and fill factor, along with an increase in the glass transition temperature. Characterizations of exciton dynamics and film morphology reveal that a dimerized acceptor-based device possesses an enhanced exciton dissociation efficiency and a well-established charge transport pathway, explaining its improved photovoltaic performance. All these results indicate that the dimerized NFEA as a promising candidate can achieve efficiency-stability-cost balance in OSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruonan Li
- School of Physical Science and Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, P. R. China
| | - Yuandu Hu
- School of Physical Science and Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, P. R. China
| | - Yunhua Xu
- School of Physical Science and Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, P. R. China
| | - Chao Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering & State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, P. R. China
| | - Xin Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering & State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, P. R. China
| | - Shijie Liang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering & State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, P. R. China
| | - Baiqiao Liu
- Research Center for Frontier Fundamental Studies, Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Weiwei Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering & State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, P. R. China
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11
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Zhang L, Deng D, Lu K, Wei Z. Optimization of Charge Management and Energy Loss in All-Small-Molecule Organic Solar Cells. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2302915. [PMID: 37399575 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202302915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
All-small-molecule organic solar cells (ASM-OSCs) have received tremendous attention in recent decades because of their advantages over their polymer counterparts. These advantages include well-defined chemical structures, easy purification, and negligible batch-to-batch variation. Remarkable progress with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of over 17% has recently been achieved with improved charge management (FF × JSC) and reduced energy loss (Eloss). Morphology control is the key factor in the progress of ASM-OSCs, which remains a significant challenge because of the similarities in the molecular structures of the donors and acceptors. In this review, the effective strategies for charge management and/or Eloss reduction from the perspective of effective morphology control are summarized. The aim is to provide practical insights and guidance for material design and device optimization to promote further development of ASM-OSCs to a level where they can compete with or even surpass the efficiency of polymer solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Dan Deng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Kun Lu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Zhixiang Wei
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
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12
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Chang B, Zhang Y, Zhang C, Zhang M, Wang Q, Xu Z, Chen Q, Bai Y, Fu H, Meng S, Xue L, Kim S, Yang C, Yi Y, Zhang ZG. Tethered Trimeric Small-molecular Acceptors through Aromatic-core Engineering for Highly Efficient and Thermally Stable Polymer Solar Cells. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202400590. [PMID: 38318728 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202400590] [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: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Polymer solar cells (PSCs) rely on a blend of small molecular acceptors (SMAs) with polymer donors, where thermodynamic relaxation of SMAs poses critical concerns on operational stability. To tackle this issue, tethered SMAs, wherein multiple SMA-subunits are connected to the aromatic-core via flexible chains, are proposed. This design aims to an elevated glass transition temperature (Tg) for a dynamical control. However, attaining an elevated Tg value with additional SMA subunits introduces complexity to the molecular packing, posing a significant challenge in realizing both high stability and power conversion efficiency (PCE). In this study, we initiate isomer engineering on the benzene-carboxylate core and find that meta-positioned dimeric BDY-β exhibits more favorable molecular packing compared to its para-positioned counterpart, BDY-α. With this encouraging result, we expand our approach by introducing an additional SMA unit onto the aromatic core of BDY-β, maintaining a meta-position relative to each SMA unit location in the tethered acceptor. This systematic aromatic-core engineering results in a star-shaped C3h-positioned molecular geometry. The supramolecular interactions of SMA units in the trimer contribute to enhancements in Tg value, crystallinity, and a red-shifted absorption compared to dimers. These characteristics result in a noteworthy increase in PCE to 18.24 %, coupled with a remarkable short-circuit current density of 27.06 mA cm-2. More significantly, the trimer-based devices delivered an excellent thermal stability with over 95 % of their initial efficiency after 1200 h thermal degradation. Our findings underscore the promise and feasibility of tethered trimeric structures in achieving highly ordered aggregation behavior and increased Tg value in PSCs, simultaneously improving in device efficiency and thermal stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bowen Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yaogang Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Cen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Qingyuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Zheng'ao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Qi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yang Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Hongyuan Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Shixin Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Lingwei Xue
- Yaoshan Laboratory, Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan, Henan, 467000, P. R. China
| | - Seoyoung Kim
- Department of Energy Engineering, School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Low Dimensional Carbon Materials Center, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 689-798, South Korea
| | - Changduk Yang
- Department of Energy Engineering, School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Low Dimensional Carbon Materials Center, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 689-798, South Korea
| | - Yuanping Yi
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Zhi-Guo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
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13
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Yi F, Xiao M, Meng Y, Bai H, Su W, Gao W, Yao ZF, Qi G, Liang Z, Jin C, Tang L, Zhang R, Yan L, Liu Y, Zhu W, Ma W, Fan Q. Non-Fully Conjugated Dimerized Giant Acceptors with Different Alkyl-Linked Sites for Stable and 19.13 % Efficiency Organic Solar Cells. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202319295. [PMID: 38335036 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202319295] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Achieving both high power conversion efficiency (PCE) and device stability is a major challenge for the practical development of organic solar cells (OSCs). Herein, three non-fully conjugated dimerized giant acceptors (named 2Y-sites, including wing-site-linked 2Y-wing, core-site-linked 2Y-core, and end-site-linked 2Y-end) are developed. They share the similar monomer precursors but have different alkyl-linked sites, offering the fine-tuned molecular absorption, packing, glass transition temperature, and carrier mobility. Among their binary active layers, D18/2Y-wing has better miscibility, leading to optimized morphology and more efficient charge transfer compared to D18/2Y-core and D18/2Y-end. Therefore, the D18/2Y-wing-based OSCs achieve a superior PCE of 17.73 %, attributed to enhanced photocurrent and fill factor. Furthermore, the D18/2Y-wing-based OSCs exhibit a balance of high PCE and improved stability, distinguishing them within the 2Y-sites. Building on the success of 2Y-wing in binary systems, we extend its application to ternary OSCs by pairing it with the near-infrared absorbing D18/BS3TSe-4F host. Thanks to the complementary absorption within 300-970 nm and further optimized morphology, ternary OSCs obtain a higher PCE of 19.13 %, setting a new efficiency benchmark for the dimer-derived OSCs. This approach of alkyl-linked site engineering for constructing dimerized giant acceptors presents a promising pathway to improve both PCE and stability of OSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Yi
- College of Chemistry, Key Lab of Environment-Friendly Chemistry and Application (Ministry of Education), Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Manjun Xiao
- College of Chemistry, Key Lab of Environment-Friendly Chemistry and Application (Ministry of Education), Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105
| | - Yongdie Meng
- College of Chemistry, Key Lab of Environment-Friendly Chemistry and Application (Ministry of Education), Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105
| | - Hairui Bai
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Wenyan Su
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710054, China
| | - Wei Gao
- Xiamen Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Advanced Manufacturing, Institute of Luminescent Materials and Information Displays, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Ze-Fan Yao
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | | | - Zezhou Liang
- Key Laboratory for Physical Electronics and Devices of the Ministry of Education & Shaanxi, Key Lab of Photonic Technique for Information, School of Electronics Science & Engineering, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Conggui Jin
- College of Chemistry, Key Lab of Environment-Friendly Chemistry and Application (Ministry of Education), Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105
| | - Lingxiao Tang
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, Linköping, SE-58183, Sweden
| | - Lihe Yan
- Key Laboratory for Physical Electronics and Devices of the Ministry of Education & Shaanxi, Key Lab of Photonic Technique for Information, School of Electronics Science & Engineering, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Yuhang Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Weiguo Zhu
- Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Light-Electricity-Heat Energy-Converting Materials and Applications, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, China
| | - Wei Ma
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Qunping Fan
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
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14
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Ding P, Yang D, Yang S, Ge Z. Stability of organic solar cells: toward commercial applications. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:2350-2387. [PMID: 38268469 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00492a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Organic solar cells (OSCs) have attracted a great deal of attention in the field of clean solar energy due to their advantages of transparency, flexibility, low cost and light weight. Introducing them to the market enables seamless integration into buildings and windows, while also supporting wearable, portable electronics and internet-of-things (IoT) devices. With the development of photovoltaic materials and the optimization of fabrication technology, the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of OSCs have rapidly improved and now exceed 20%. However, there is a significant lack of focus on material stability and device lifetime, causing a severe hindrance to commercial applications. In this review, we carefully review important strategies employed to improve the stability of OSCs over the past three years from the perspectives of material design and device engineering. Furthermore, we analyze and discuss the current important progress in terms of air, light, thermal and mechanical stability. Finally, we propose the future research directions to overcome the challenges in achieving highly stable OSCs. We expect that this review will contribute to solving the stability problem of OSCs, eventually paving the way for commercial applications in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Ding
- Zhejiang Engineering Research Center for Energy Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China.
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Daobin Yang
- Zhejiang Engineering Research Center for Energy Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China.
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shuncheng Yang
- Zhejiang Engineering Research Center for Energy Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China.
| | - Ziyi Ge
- Zhejiang Engineering Research Center for Energy Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China.
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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15
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Peng J, Meng F, Cheng J, Lai X, Du M, Huang M, Zhang J, He F, Zhou E, Zhao D, Zhao B. Noncovalent Interaction Boosts Performance and Stability of Organic Solar Cells Based on Giant-Molecule Acceptors. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:7317-7326. [PMID: 38305907 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c18325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Designing giant-molecule acceptors is deemed as an up-and-coming strategy to construct stable organic solar cells (OSCs) with high performance. Herein, two giant dimeric acceptors, namely, DYV and DYFV, have been designed and synthesized by linking two Y-series derivatives with a vinyl unit. DYFV exhibits more red-shifted absorption, down-shifted energy levels, and enhanced intermolecular packing than DYV because the intramolecular noncovalent interaction (H···F) of DYFV leads to better coplanarity of the backbone. The D18:DYFV film owns a distinct nanofibrous nanophase separation structure, a more dominant face-on orientation, and more balanced carrier mobilities. Therefore, the D18:DYFV OSC achieves a higher photoelectron conversion efficiency of 17.88% and a longer-term stability with a t80 over 45,000 h compared with the D18:DYV device. The study demonstrates that the intramolecular noncovalent interaction is a superior strategy to design giant-molecule acceptors and boost the photovoltaic performance and stability of the OSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxun Peng
- Key Laboratory for Green Organic Synthesis and Application of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Environmentally Friendly Chemistry and Application of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan 411105, China
| | - Fei Meng
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry College of Chemistry, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Jing Cheng
- Key Laboratory for Green Organic Synthesis and Application of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Environmentally Friendly Chemistry and Application of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan 411105, China
| | - Xue Lai
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute and Department of Chemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Mengzhen Du
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Meihua Huang
- Key Laboratory for Green Organic Synthesis and Application of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Environmentally Friendly Chemistry and Application of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan 411105, China
| | - Jianqi Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Feng He
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute and Department of Chemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Erjun Zhou
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Dongbing Zhao
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry College of Chemistry, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Bin Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Green Organic Synthesis and Application of Hunan Province, Key Laboratory of Environmentally Friendly Chemistry and Application of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan 411105, China
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16
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Wang Z, Guo Y, Liu X, Shu W, Han G, Ding K, Mukherjee S, Zhang N, Yip HL, Yi Y, Ade H, Chow PCY. The role of interfacial donor-acceptor percolation in efficient and stable all-polymer solar cells. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1212. [PMID: 38331998 PMCID: PMC10853271 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45455-0] [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: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Polymerization of Y6-type acceptor molecules leads to bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells with both high power-conversion efficiency and device stability, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here we show that the exciton recombination dynamics of polymerized Y6-type acceptors (Y6-PAs) strongly depends on the degree of aggregation. While the fast exciton recombination rate in aggregated Y6-PA competes with electron-hole separation at the donor-acceptor (D-A) interface, the much-suppressed exciton recombination rate in dispersed Y6-PA is sufficient to allow efficient free charge generation. Indeed, our experimental results and theoretical simulations reveal that Y6-PAs have larger miscibility with the donor polymer than Y6-type small molecular acceptors, leading to D-A percolation that effectively prevents the formation of Y6-PA aggregates at the interface. Besides enabling high charge generation efficiency, the interfacial D-A percolation also improves the thermodynamic stability of the blend morphology, as evident by the reduced device "burn-in" loss upon solar illumination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yu Guo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xianzhao Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wenchao Shu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Guangchao Han
- CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Kan Ding
- Department of Physics and Organic and Carbon Electronics Laboratories (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Subhrangsu Mukherjee
- Department of Physics and Organic and Carbon Electronics Laboratories (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Nan Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hin-Lap Yip
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Hong Kong Institute for Clean Energy, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yuanping Yi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Harald Ade
- Department of Physics and Organic and Carbon Electronics Laboratories (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Philip C Y Chow
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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17
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Zhang M, Chang B, Zhang R, Li S, Liu X, Zeng L, Chen Q, Wang L, Yang L, Wang H, Liu J, Gao F, Zhang ZG. Tethered Small-Molecule Acceptor Refines Hierarchical Morphology in Ternary Polymer Solar Cells: Enhanced Stability and 19% Efficiency. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2308606. [PMID: 37816121 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202308606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
Polymer solar cells (PSCs) are promising for efficient solar energy conversion, but achieving high efficiency and device longevity within a bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) structure remains a challenge. Traditional small-molecule acceptors (SMAs) in the BHJ blend show thermodynamic instability affecting the morphology. In contrast, tethered SMAs exhibit higher glass transition temperatures, mitigating these concerns. Yet, they might not integrate well with polymer donors, causing pronounced phase separation and overpurification of mixed domains. Herein, a novel ternary device is introduced that uses DY-P2EH, a tethered dimeric SMA with conjugated side-chains as host acceptor, and BTP-ec9, a monomeric SMA as secondary acceptor, which respectively possess hypomiscibility and hypermiscibility with the polymer donor PM6. This unique combination affords a parallel-connected ternary BHJ blend, leading to a hierarchical and stable morphology. The ternary device achieves a remarkable fill factor of 80.61% and an impressive power conversion efficiency of 19.09%. Furthermore, the ternary device exhibits exceptional stability, retaining over 85% of its initial efficiency even after enduring 1100 h of thermal stress at 85 °C. These findings highlight the potential advantage of tethered SMAs in the design of ternary devices with a refined hierarchical structure for more efficient and durable solar energy conversion technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Bowen Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Physics, Biomolecular and organic electronics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, Linköping, SE-58183, Sweden
| | - Shangyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Xinpeng Liu
- School of Electronics and Information, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China
| | - Liang Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Qi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- CAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of, Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Liangrong Yang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Haiqiao Wang
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for the Synthesis and Applications of Waterborne Polymers, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Jiangang Liu
- School of Electronics and Information, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China
| | - Feng Gao
- Department of Physics, Biomolecular and organic electronics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, Linköping, SE-58183, Sweden
| | - Zhi-Guo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
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18
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Liu X, Zhang Z, Wang C, Zhang C, Liang S, Fang H, Wang B, Tang Z, Xiao C, Li W. A Pyrene-Fused Dimerized Acceptor for Ternary Organic Solar Cells with 19% Efficiency and High Thermal Stability. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202316039. [PMID: 37983686 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202316039] [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: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
A pyrene-fused dimerized electron acceptor has been successfully synthesized and subsequently incorporated as the third component in ternary organic solar cells (OSCs). Diverging from the traditional dimerized acceptors with a linear configuration, this novel electron acceptor displays a distinctive "butterfly-like" structure, comprising two Y-acceptors as wings fused with a pyrene-based backbone. The extended π-conjugated backbone and the electron-donating nature of pyrene enable the new acceptor to show low solubility, elevated glass transition temperature (Tg ), and low-lying frontier energy levels. Consequently, the new dimerized acceptor seamlessly integrates as the third component into ternary OSCs, enhancing electron transporting properties, reducing non-radiative voltage loss, and elevating open-circuit voltage. These merits have enabled the ternary OSCs to show an exceptional efficiency of 19.07%, a marked improvement compared to the 17.6% attained in binary OSCs. More importantly, the high Tg exhibited by the pyrene-fused electron acceptor helps to stabilize the morphology of the photoactive layer thermal-treated at 70 °C, retaining 88.7% efficiency over 600 hours. For comparison, binary OSCs experience a decline to 73.7% efficiency after the same duration. These results indicate that the "butterfly-like" design and the incorporation of a pyrene unit is a promising strategy in the development of dimerized electron acceptors for OSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xucong Liu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering & State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
| | - Zhou Zhang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering & State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
| | - Chao Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering & State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
| | - Cuifen Zhang
- Center for Advanced Low-dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China
| | - Shijie Liang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering & State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
| | - Haisheng Fang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering & State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
| | - Bo Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering & State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
| | - Zheng Tang
- Center for Advanced Low-dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China
| | - Chengyi Xiao
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering & State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
| | - Weiwei Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering & State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
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19
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Lv M, Wang Q, Zhang J, Wang Y, Zhang ZG, Wang T, Zhang H, Lu K, Wei Z, Deng D. Strengthening the Hetero-Molecular Interactions in Giant Dimeric Acceptors Enables Efficient Organic Solar Cells. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2310046. [PMID: 37994223 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202310046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Giant dimeric acceptor (G-Dimer) is becoming one of the most promising organic solar cell (OSC) materials because of its definite structure, long-term stability, and high efficiency. Strengthening the hetero-molecular interactions by monomer modification greatly influences the morphology and thus the device performance, but lacks investigation. Herein, two novel quinoxaline core-based G-Dimers, Dimer-QX and Dimer-2CF, are synthesized. By comparing trifluoromethyl-substituted Dimer-2CF and non-substituted Dimer-QX, the trifluoromethylation effect on the G-Dimer is investigated and revealed. The trifluoromethyl with strong electronegativity increases electrostatic potential and reduces surface energy of the G-Dimer, weakening the homo-molecular ordered packing but reinforcing the hetero-molecular interaction with the donor. The strong hetero-molecular interaction suppresses the fast assembly during the film formation, facilitating small domains with ordered molecular packing in the blend, which is a trade-off in conventional morphology control. Together with favorable vertical phase separation, efficient charge generation, and reduced bimolecular recombination are concurrently obtained. Hence, the Dimer-2CF-based OSCs obtain a cutting-edge efficiency of 19.02% with fill factor surpassing 80%, and an averaged extrapolated T80 of ≈12 000 h under continuous 80 °C heating. This study emphasizes the importance of hetero-molecular interaction and trifluoromethylation strategy, providing a facile strategy for designing highly efficient and stable OSC materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Lv
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Qingyuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Jianqi Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yuheng Wang
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315211, China
| | - Zhi-Guo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Tong Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Kun Lu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhixiang Wei
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Dan Deng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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20
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Zhuo H, Li X, Zhang J, Zhu C, He H, Ding K, Li J, Meng L, Ade H, Li Y. Precise synthesis and photovoltaic properties of giant molecule acceptors. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7996. [PMID: 38042895 PMCID: PMC10693637 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43846-3] [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: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Series of giant molecule acceptors DY, TY and QY with two, three and four small molecule acceptor subunits are synthesized by a stepwise synthetic method and used for systematically investigating the influence of subunit numbers on the structure-property relationship from small molecule acceptor YDT to giant molecule acceptors and to polymerized small molecule acceptor PY-IT. Among these acceptors-based devices, the TY-based film shows proper donor/acceptor phase separation, higher charge transfer state yield and longer charge transfer state lifetime. Combining with the highest electron mobility, more efficient exciton dissociation and lower charge carrier recombination properties, the TY-based device exhibits the highest power conversion efficiency of 16.32%. These results indicate that the subunit number in these acceptors has significant influence on their photovoltaic properties. This stepwise synthetic method of giant molecule acceptors will be beneficial to diversify their structures and promote their applications in high-efficiency and stable organic solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongmei Zhuo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Chemical Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaojun Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
- School of Chemical Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Jinyuan Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Can Zhu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Chemical Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Haozhe He
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Chemical Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Kan Ding
- Department of Physics and Organic and Carbon Electronics Laboratories (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Jing Li
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Lei Meng
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Chemical Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Harald Ade
- Department of Physics and Organic and Carbon Electronics Laboratories (ORaCEL), North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
| | - Yongfang Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
- School of Chemical Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- Laboratory of Advanced Optoelectronic Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China.
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21
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Gu X, Zhang X, Huang H. Oligomerized Fused-Ring Electron Acceptors for Efficient and Stable Organic Solar Cells. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202308496. [PMID: 37436426 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202308496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Organic solar cells (OSCs) have attracted wide research attention in the past decades. Very recently, oligomerized fused-ring electron acceptors (OFREAs) have emerged as a promising alternative to small-molecular/polymeric acceptor-based OSCs due to their unique advantages such as well-defined structures, batch reproducibility, good film formation, low diffusion coefficient, and excellent stability. So far, rapid advances have been made in the development of OFREAs consisting of directly/rigidly/flexibly linked oligomers and fused ones. In this Minireview, we systematically summarized the recent research progress of OFREAs, including structural diversity, synthesis approach, molecular conformation and packing, and long-term stability. Finally, we conclude with future perspectives on the challenges to be addressed and potential research directions. We believe that this Minireview will encourage the development of novel OFREAs for OSC applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobin Gu
- College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronic Technology & Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering & CAS Center for Excellence in Topological Quantum Computation & CAS Key Laboratory of Vacuum Physics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronic Technology & Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering & CAS Center for Excellence in Topological Quantum Computation & CAS Key Laboratory of Vacuum Physics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China
| | - Hui Huang
- College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronic Technology & Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering & CAS Center for Excellence in Topological Quantum Computation & CAS Key Laboratory of Vacuum Physics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China
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22
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Wu J, Ling Z, Franco LR, Jeong SY, Genene Z, Mena J, Chen S, Chen C, Araujo CM, Marchiori CFN, Kimpel J, Chang X, Isikgor FH, Chen Q, Faber H, Han Y, Laquai F, Zhang M, Woo HY, Yu D, Anthopoulos TD, Wang E. On the Conformation of Dimeric Acceptors and Their Polymer Solar Cells with Efficiency over 18 . Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202302888. [PMID: 37380618 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202302888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
The determination of molecular conformations of oligomeric acceptors (OAs) and their impact on molecular packing are crucial for understanding the photovoltaic performance of their resulting polymer solar cells (PSCs) but have not been well studied yet. Herein, we synthesized two dimeric acceptor materials, DIBP3F-Se and DIBP3F-S, which bridged two segments of Y6-derivatives by selenophene and thiophene, respectively. Theoretical simulation and experimental 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic studies prove that both dimers exhibit O-shaped conformations other than S- or U-shaped counter-ones. Notably, this O-shaped conformation is likely governed by a distinctive "conformational lock" mechanism, arising from the intensified intramolecular π-π interactions among their two terminal groups within the dimers. PSCs based on DIBP3F-Se deliver a maximum efficiency of 18.09 %, outperforming DIBP3F-S-based cells (16.11 %) and ranking among the highest efficiencies for OA-based PSCs. This work demonstrates a facile method to obtain OA conformations and highlights the potential of dimeric acceptors for high-performance PSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingnan Wu
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Göteborg, Sweden
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, 9220, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Zhaoheng Ling
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), KAUST Solar Center, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Leandro R Franco
- Department of Engineering and Physics, Karlstad University, 65188, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Sang Young Jeong
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul, 02841 (Republic of, Korea
| | - Zewdneh Genene
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Josué Mena
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Si Chen
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), KAUST Solar Center, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Cailing Chen
- Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Center, Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - C Moyses Araujo
- Department of Engineering and Physics, Karlstad University, 65188, Karlstad, Sweden
- Materials Theory Division, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, 75120, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Cleber F N Marchiori
- Department of Engineering and Physics, Karlstad University, 65188, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Joost Kimpel
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Xiaoming Chang
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), KAUST Solar Center, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Furkan H Isikgor
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), KAUST Solar Center, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Qiaonan Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Hendrik Faber
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), KAUST Solar Center, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yu Han
- Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Center, Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Frédéric Laquai
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), KAUST Solar Center, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maojie Zhang
- National Engineering Research Center for Colloidal Materials, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250100, China
| | - Han Young Woo
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul, 02841 (Republic of, Korea
| | - Donghong Yu
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, 9220, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Thomas D Anthopoulos
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), KAUST Solar Center, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ergang Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Göteborg, Sweden
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23
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Shen W, Li P, Zhang Q, Han E, Gu G, Wang R, Li X. The Structural and Electronic Engineering of Molybdenum Disulfide Nanosheets as Carbon-Free Sulfur Hosts for Boosting Energy Density and Cycling Life of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2304122. [PMID: 37403292 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202304122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
The compact sulfur cathodes with high sulfur content and high sulfur loading are crucial to promise high energy density of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. However, some daunting problems, such as low sulfur utilization efficiency, serious polysulfides shuttling, and poor rate performance, are usually accompanied during practical deployment. The sulfur hosts play key roles. Herein, the carbon-free sulfur host composed of vanadium-doped molybdenum disulfide (VMS) nanosheets is reported. Benefiting from the basal plane activation of molybdenum disulfide and structural advantage of VMS, high stacking density of sulfur cathode is allowed for high areal and volumetric capacities of the electrodes together with the effective suppression of polysulfides shuttling and the expedited redox kinetics of sulfur species during cycling. The resultant electrode with high sulfur content of 89 wt.% and high sulfur loading of 7.2 mg cm-2 achieves high gravimetric capacity of 900.9 mAh g-1 , the areal capacity of 6.48 mAh cm-2 , and volumetric capacity of 940 mAh cm-3 at 0.5 C. The electrochemical performance can rival with the state-of-the-art those in the reported Li-S batteries. This work provides methodology guidance for the development of the cathode materials to achieve high-energy-density and long-life Li-S batteries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxiang Shen
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China
| | - Pengyue Li
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350002, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350007, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China
| | - Enshan Han
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China
| | - Guoxian Gu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China
| | - Ruihu Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350002, China
| | - Xiaoju Li
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350002, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350007, China
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24
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Zhang C, Song J, Xue J, Wang S, Ge Z, Man Y, Ma W, Sun Y. Facile, Versatile and Stepwise Synthesis of High-Performance Oligomer Acceptors for Stable Organic Solar Cells. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202308595. [PMID: 37551967 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202308595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Oligomer acceptors have recently emerged as promising photovoltaic materials for achieving high power conversion efficiency (PCE) and long-term stability in organic solar cells (OSCs). However, the limited availability of diverse acceptors, resulting from the sole synthetic approach, has hindered their potential for future industrialization. In this study, we present a facile and effective stepwise approach that utilizes two consecutive Stille coupling reactions for the synthesis of oligomer acceptors. To demonstrate the feasibility of the novel approach, we successfully synthesize a trimer acceptor, Tri-Y6-OD, and further systematically investigate the impact of oligomerization on device performance and stability. The results reveal that this approach has significant advantages compared to the conventional method, including reduced formation of unwanted by-products and lower difficulties in purification. Remarkably, the OSC based on PM6 : Tri-Y6-OD achieves an impressive PCE of 18.03 % and maintains 80 % of the initial PCE (T80 ) for 1523 h under illumination, surpassing the performance of the corresponding small molecule acceptor Y6-OD-based device. Furthermore, the versatility of the synthetic strategy in obtaining diverse acceptors is further demonstrated. Overall, our findings provide a facile, versatile and stepwise way for synthesizing oligomer acceptors, thereby facilitating the development of stable and efficient OSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Zhang
- School of Chemistry, Beihang University, 100191, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Jiali Song
- School of Chemistry, Beihang University, 100191, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Jingwei Xue
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 710049, Xi'an, P. R. China
| | - Shijie Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 710049, Xi'an, P. R. China
| | - Zhongwei Ge
- School of Chemistry, Beihang University, 100191, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yuheng Man
- School of Chemistry, Beihang University, 100191, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Wei Ma
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 710049, Xi'an, P. R. China
| | - Yanming Sun
- School of Chemistry, Beihang University, 100191, Beijing, P. R. China
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25
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Chen H, Kan B, Wang P, Feng W, Li L, Zhang S, Chen T, Yang Y, Duan T, Yao Z, Li C, Wan X, Chen Y. Terminally Chlorinated and Thiophene-linked Acceptor-Donor-Acceptor Structured 3D Acceptors with Versatile Processability for High-efficiency Organic Solar Cells. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202307962. [PMID: 37547954 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202307962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
To exploit the potential of our newly developed three-dimensional (3D) dimerized acceptors, a series of chlorinated 3D acceptors (namely CH8-3/4/5) were reported by precisely tuning the position of chlorine (Cl) atom. The introduction of Cl atom in central unit affects the molecular conformation. Whereas, by replacing fluorinated terminal groups (CH8-3) with chlorinated terminal groups (CH8-4 and CH8-5), the red-shift absorption and enhanced crystallization are achieved. Benefiting from these, all devices received promising power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) over 16 % as well as decent thermal/photo-stabilities. Among them, PM6:CH8-4 based device yielded a best PCE of 17.58 %. Besides, the 3D merits with multi alkyl chains enable their versatile processability during the device preparation. Impressive PCEs of 17.27 % and 16.23 % could be achieved for non-halogen solvent processable devices prepared in glovebox and ambient, respectively. 2.88 cm2 modules also obtained PCEs over 13 % via spin-coating and blade-coating methods, respectively. These results are among the best performance of dimerized acceptors. The decent performance of CH8-4 on small-area devices, modules and non-halogen solvent-processed devices highlights the versatile processing capability of our 3D acceptors, as well as their potential applications in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongbin Chen
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, National Institute for Advanced Materials, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Bin Kan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, National Institute for Advanced Materials, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Peiran Wang
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Wanying Feng
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Longyu Li
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Shuchao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Tianqi Chen
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, National Institute for Advanced Materials, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Yang Yang
- The Institute of Seawater Desalination and Multipurpose Utilization, Ministry of Natural Resources (Tianjin), Tianjin, 300192, China
| | - Tainan Duan
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS Chongqing), Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Zhaoyang Yao
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Chenxi Li
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Xiangjian Wan
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Yongsheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
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26
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Fu H, Zhang M, Zhang Y, Wang Q, Xu Z, Zhou Q, Li Z, Bai Y, Li Y, Zhang ZG. Modular-Approach Synthesis of Giant Molecule Acceptors via Lewis-Acid-Catalyzed Knoevenagel Condensation for Stable Polymer Solar Cells. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202306303. [PMID: 37322862 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202306303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The operational stability of polymer solar cells is a critical concern with respect to the thermodynamic relaxation of acceptor-donor-acceptor (A-D-A) or A-DA'D-A structured small-molecule acceptors (SMAs) within their blends with polymer donors. Giant molecule acceptors (GMAs) bearing SMAs as subunits offer a solution to this issue, while their classical synthesis via the Stille coupling suffers from low reaction efficiency and difficulty in obtaining mono-brominated SMA, rendering the approach impractical for their large-scale and low-cost preparation. In this study, we present a simple and cost-effective solution to this challenge through Lewis acid-catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation with boron trifluoride etherate (BF3 ⋅ OEt2 ) as catalyst. We demonstrated that the coupling of the monoaldehyde-terminated A-D-CHO unit and the methylene-based A-link-A (or its silyl enol ether counterpart) substrates can be quantitatively achieved within 30 minutes in the presence of acetic anhydride, affording a variety of GMAs connected via the flexible and conjugated linkers. The photophysical properties was fully studied, yielding a high device efficiency of over 18 %. Our findings offer a promising alternative for the modular synthesis of GMAs with high yields, easier work up, and the widespread application of such methodology will undoubtedly accelerate the progress of stable polymer solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyuan Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 100029, Beijing, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 100029, Beijing, China
| | - Youdi Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Green Functional Materials, Changchun Normal University, 130032, Changchun, China
| | - Qingyuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 100029, Beijing, China
| | - Zheng'ao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 100029, Beijing, China
| | - Qiuju Zhou
- Analysis & Testing Center, Xinyang Normal University, 464000, Xinyang, Henan, China
| | - Zhengkai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 100029, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 100029, Beijing, China
| | - Yongfang Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi-Guo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 100029, Beijing, China
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27
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Bai Y, Zhang Z, Zhou Q, Geng H, Chen Q, Kim S, Zhang R, Zhang C, Chang B, Li S, Fu H, Xue L, Wang H, Li W, Chen W, Gao M, Ye L, Zhou Y, Ouyang Y, Zhang C, Gao F, Yang C, Li Y, Zhang ZG. Geometry design of tethered small-molecule acceptor enables highly stable and efficient polymer solar cells. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2926. [PMID: 37217503 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38673-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
With the power conversion efficiency of binary polymer solar cells dramatically improved, the thermal stability of the small-molecule acceptors raised the main concerns on the device operating stability. Here, to address this issue, thiophene-dicarboxylate spacer tethered small-molecule acceptors are designed, and their molecular geometries are further regulated via the thiophene-core isomerism engineering, affording dimeric TDY-α with a 2, 5-substitution and TDY-β with 3, 4-substitution on the core. It shows that TDY-α processes a higher glass transition temperature, better crystallinity relative to its individual small-molecule acceptor segment and isomeric counterpart of TDY-β, and a more stable morphology with the polymer donor. As a result, the TDY-α based device delivers a higher device efficiency of 18.1%, and most important, achieves an extrapolated lifetime of about 35000 hours that retaining 80% of their initial efficiency. Our result suggests that with proper geometry design, the tethered small-molecule acceptors can achieve both high device efficiency and operating stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Ze Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Qiuju Zhou
- Analysis & Testing Center, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, Henan, 464000, China
| | - Hua Geng
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Optical Materials and Photonic Devices, Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Qi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Seoyoung Kim
- Department of Energy Engineering, School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Low Dimensional Carbon Materials Center, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 689-798, South Korea
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Physics, Biomolecular and Organic Electronics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, Linköping, SE-58183, Sweden
| | - Cen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Bowen Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Shangyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Hongyuan Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Lingwei Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Haiqiao Wang
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for the Synthesis and Applications of Waterborne Polymers, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Wenbin Li
- College of Chemistry & Green Catalysis Center, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Weihua Chen
- College of Chemistry & Green Catalysis Center, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Mengyuan Gao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Long Ye
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhou
- Department of Physics, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China, Smart Society Lab, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yanni Ouyang
- Department of Physics, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China, Smart Society Lab, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chunfeng Zhang
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Physics, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Feng Gao
- Department of Physics, Biomolecular and Organic Electronics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, Linköping, SE-58183, Sweden
| | - Changduk Yang
- Department of Energy Engineering, School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Low Dimensional Carbon Materials Center, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 689-798, South Korea
| | - Yongfang Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Zhi-Guo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China.
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28
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Han G, Zhang Y, Zheng W, Yi Y. Electron Transport in Organic Photovoltaic Acceptor Materials: Improving the Carrier Mobilities by Intramolecular and Intermolecular Modulations. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:4497-4503. [PMID: 37156008 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c00844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
High carrier mobility is beneficial to increase the active-layer thickness while maintaining a high fill factor, which is crucial to further improve the light harvesting and organic photovoltaic efficiency. The aim of this Perspective is to elucidate the electron transport mechanisms in prototypical non-fullerene (NF) acceptors through our recent theoretical studies. The electron transport in A-D-A small-molecule acceptors (SMAs), e.g., ITIC and Y6, is mainly determined by end-group π-π stacking. Relative to ITIC, the angular backbone along with more flexible side chains leads to Y6 having a closer stacking and enhanced intermolecular electronic connectivity. For polymerized rylene diimide acceptors, to achieve high electron mobilities, they need to simultaneously increase intramolecular and intermolecular connectivity. Finally, finely tuning the π-bridge modes to enhance intramolecular superexchange coupling is essential to develop novel polymerized A-D-A SMAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangchao Han
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Yaogang Zhang
- 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
| | - Wenyu Zheng
- 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
| | - 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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29
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Duan J, Zhu G, Chen J, Zhang C, Zhu X, Liao H, Li Z, Hu H, McCulloch I, Nielsen CB, Yue W. Highly Efficient Mixed Conduction in a Fused Oligomer n-Type Organic Semiconductor Enabled by 3D Transport Pathways. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023:e2300252. [PMID: 36918256 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202300252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Tailoring organic semiconductors to facilitate mixed conduction of ionic and electronic charges when interfaced with an aqueous media has spurred many recent advances in organic bioelectronics. The field is still restricted, however, by very few n-type (electron-transporting) organic semiconductors with adequate performance metrics. Here, a new electron-deficient, fused polycyclic aromatic system, TNR, is reported with excellent n-type mixed conduction properties including a µC* figure-of-merit value exceeding 30 F cm-1 V-1 s-1 for the best performing derivative. Comprising three naphthalene bis-isatin moieties, this new molecular design builds on successful small-molecule mixed conductors; by extending the molecular scaffold into the oligomer domain, good film-forming properties, strong π-π interactions, and consequently excellent charge-transport properties are obtained. Through judicious optimization of the side chains, the linear oligoether and branched alkyl chain derivative bgTNR is obtained which shows superior mixed conduction in an organic electrochemical transistor configuration including an electron mobility around 0.3 cm2 V-1 s-1 . By optimizing the side chains, the dominant molecular packing can be changed from a preferential edge-on orientation (with high charge-transport anisotropy) to an oblique orientation that can support 3D transport pathways which in turn ensure highly efficient mixed conduction properties across the bulk semiconductor film.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayao Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Key Laboratory for Polymeric Composite and Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronic Materials and Wearable Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, P. R. China
| | - Genming Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Key Laboratory for Polymeric Composite and Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronic Materials and Wearable Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, P. R. China
| | - Junxin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Key Laboratory for Polymeric Composite and Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronic Materials and Wearable Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, P. R. China
| | - Chenyang Zhang
- Hoffman Institute of Advanced Materials, Shenzhen Polytechnic, 7098 Liuxian Boulevard, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xiuyuan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Key Laboratory for Polymeric Composite and Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronic Materials and Wearable Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, P. R. China
| | - Hailiang Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Key Laboratory for Polymeric Composite and Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronic Materials and Wearable Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, P. R. China
| | - Zhengke Li
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Key Laboratory for Polymeric Composite and Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronic Materials and Wearable Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, P. R. China
| | - Hanlin Hu
- Hoffman Institute of Advanced Materials, Shenzhen Polytechnic, 7098 Liuxian Boulevard, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Iain McCulloch
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Christian B Nielsen
- Department of Chemistry, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Wan Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Key Laboratory for Polymeric Composite and Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronic Materials and Wearable Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, P. R. China
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30
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Kim S, Choi H, Lee M, Jung H, Shin Y, Lee S, Kim K, Kim MH, Kwak K, Kim B. Critical Role of Non-Halogenated Solvent Additives in Eco-Friendly and Efficient All-Polymer Solar Cells. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15061354. [PMID: 36987135 PMCID: PMC10056264 DOI: 10.3390/polym15061354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Organic solar cells (OSCs) demonstrating high power conversion efficiencies have been mostly fabricated using halogenated solvents, which are highly toxic and harmful to humans and the environment. Recently, non-halogenated solvents have emerged as a potential alternative. However, there has been limited success in attaining an optimal morphology when non-halogenated solvents (typically o-xylene (XY)) were used. To address this issue, we studied the dependence of the photovoltaic properties of all-polymer solar cells (APSCs) on various high-boiling-point non-halogenated additives. We synthesized PTB7-Th and PNDI2HD-T polymers that are soluble in XY and fabricated PTB7-Th:PNDI2HD-T-based APSCs using XY with five additives: 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene (TMB), indane (IN), tetralin (TN), diphenyl ether (DPE), and dibenzyl ether (DBE). The photovoltaic performance was determined in the following order: XY + IN < XY + TMB < XY + DBE ≤ XY only < XY + DPE < XY + TN. Interestingly, all APSCs processed with an XY solvent system had better photovoltaic properties than APSCs processed with chloroform solution containing 1,8-diiodooctane (CF + DIO). The key reasons for these differences were unraveled using transient photovoltage and two-dimensional grazing incidence X-ray diffraction experiments. The charge lifetimes of APSCs based on XY + TN and XY + DPE were the longest, and their long lifetime was strongly associated with the polymer blend film morphology; the polymer domain sizes were in the nanoscale range, and the blend film surfaces were smoother, as the PTB7-Th polymer domains assumed an untangled, evenly distributed, and internetworked morphology. Our results demonstrate that the use of an additive with an optimal boiling point facilitates the development of polymer blends with a favorable morphology and can contribute to the widespread use of eco-friendly APSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeah Kim
- Department of Chemistry & Nano Science, Ewha University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Huijeong Choi
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Myeongjae Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeseung Jung
- Department of Chemistry & Nano Science, Ewha University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Yukyung Shin
- Department of Chemistry & Nano Science, Ewha University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Seul Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungkon Kim
- Department of Chemistry & Nano Science, Ewha University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung Hwa Kim
- Department of Chemistry & Nano Science, Ewha University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungwon Kwak
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - BongSoo Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of Semiconductor Materials and Device Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of Carbon Neutrality, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-52-217-3197; Fax: +82-52-217-2279
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31
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Xiao C, Wang X, Zhong T, Zhou R, Zheng X, Liu Y, Hu T, Luo Y, Sun F, Xiao B, Liu Z, Yang C, Yang R. Hybrid Cycloalkyl-Alkyl Chain-Based Symmetric/Asymmetric Acceptors with Optimized Crystal Packing and Interfacial Exciton Properties for Efficient Organic Solar Cells. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2206580. [PMID: 36592412 PMCID: PMC9982590 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202206580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Hybrid cycloalkyl-alkyl side chains are considered a unique composite side-chain system for the construction of novel organic semiconductor materials. However, there is a lack of fundamental understanding of the variations in the single-crystal structures as well as the optoelectronic and energetic properties generated by the introduction of hybrid side chains in electron acceptors. Herein, symmetric/asymmetric acceptors (Y-C10ch and A-C10ch) bearing bilateral and unilateral 10-cyclohexyldecyl are designed, synthesized, and compared with the symmetric acceptor 2,2'-((2Z,2'Z)-((12,13-bis(2-butyloctyl)-3,9 bis(ethylhexyl)-12,13-dihydro-[1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4-e]thieno[2″,3″':4',5']thieno[2',3':4,5] pyrrolo[3,2-g]thieno[2',3':4,5]thieno[3,2-b]indole-2,10- diyl)bis(methanylylidene))bis(5,6-difluoro-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-indene-2,1-diylidene))dimalononitrile (L8-BO). The stepwise introduction of 10-cyclohexyldecyl side chains decreases the optical bandgap, deepens the energy level, and enables the acceptor molecules to pack closely in a regular manner. Crystallographic analysis demonstrates that the 10-cyclohexyldecyl chain endows the acceptor with a more planar skeleton and enforces more compact 3D network packing, resulting in an active layer with higher domain purity. Moreover, the 10-cyclohexyldecyl chain affects the donor/acceptor interfacial energetics and accelerates exciton dissociation, enabling a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of >18% in the 2,2'-((2Z,2'Z)-((12,13-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3,9-diundecyl12,13-dihydro-[1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4-e]thieno[2″,3″':4',5']thieno[2',3':4,5]pyrrolo[3,2-g]thieno[2',3':4,5]thieno[3,2-b]indole-2,10-diyl)bis(methanylylidene))bis(5,6-difluoro-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-indene-2,1-diylidene))dimalononitrile (Y6) (PM6):A-C10ch-based organic solar cells (OSCs). Importantly, the incorporation of Y-C10ch as the third component of the PM6:L8-BO blend results in a higher PCE of 19.1%. The superior molecular packing behavior of the 10-cyclohexyldecyl side chain is highlighted here for the fabrication of high-performance OSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Chemical Materials and Devices (Ministry of Education)School of Optoelectronic Materials and TechnologyJianghan UniversityWuhan430056China
| | - Xunchang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Chemical Materials and Devices (Ministry of Education)School of Optoelectronic Materials and TechnologyJianghan UniversityWuhan430056China
- State Key Laboratory of Fine BlastingJianghan UniversityWuhan430056China
| | - Tian Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Chemical Materials and Devices (Ministry of Education)School of Optoelectronic Materials and TechnologyJianghan UniversityWuhan430056China
| | - Ruixue Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Chemical Materials and Devices (Ministry of Education)School of Optoelectronic Materials and TechnologyJianghan UniversityWuhan430056China
| | - Xufan Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Chemical Materials and Devices (Ministry of Education)School of Optoelectronic Materials and TechnologyJianghan UniversityWuhan430056China
| | - Yirui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Chemical Materials and Devices (Ministry of Education)School of Optoelectronic Materials and TechnologyJianghan UniversityWuhan430056China
| | - Tianyu Hu
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Chemical Materials and Devices (Ministry of Education)School of Optoelectronic Materials and TechnologyJianghan UniversityWuhan430056China
| | - Yixuan Luo
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Optoelectronic and New Energy MaterialsWuhan Institute of TechnologyWuhan430205China
| | - Fengbo Sun
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Optoelectronic and New Energy MaterialsWuhan Institute of TechnologyWuhan430205China
| | - Biao Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Chemical Materials and Devices (Ministry of Education)School of Optoelectronic Materials and TechnologyJianghan UniversityWuhan430056China
| | - Zhitian Liu
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Optoelectronic and New Energy MaterialsWuhan Institute of TechnologyWuhan430205China
| | - Chunming Yang
- Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation FacilityShanghai Advanced Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai201204China
| | - Renqiang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Chemical Materials and Devices (Ministry of Education)School of Optoelectronic Materials and TechnologyJianghan UniversityWuhan430056China
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32
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Cao FY, Hsu JY, Hung KE, Cheng YJ. Synthesis of naphtho[1,2-d:5,6-d']bis([1,2,3]triazole)-based wide-bandgap alternating copolymers for polymer solar cells and field-effect transistors. Polym J 2023. [DOI: 10.1038/s41428-022-00742-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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33
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Li S, Zhang R, Zhang M, Yao J, Peng Z, Chen Q, Zhang C, Chang B, Bai Y, Fu H, Ouyang Y, Zhang C, Steele JA, Alshahrani T, Roeffaers MBJ, Solano E, Meng L, Gao F, Li Y, Zhang ZG. Tethered Small-Molecule Acceptors Simultaneously Enhance the Efficiency and Stability of Polymer Solar Cells. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2206563. [PMID: 36394108 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202206563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
For polymer solar cells (PSCs), the mixture of polymer donors and small-molecule acceptors (SMAs) is fine-tuned to realize a favorable kinetically trapped morphology and thus a commercially viable device efficiency. However, the thermodynamic relaxation of the mixed domains within the blend raises concerns related to the long-term operational stability of the devices, especially in the record-holding Y-series SMAs. Here, a new class of dimeric Y6-based SMAs tethered with differential flexible spacers is reported to regulate their aggregation and relaxation behavior. In their polymer blends with PM6, it is found that they favor an improved structural order relative to that of Y6 counterpart. Most importantly, the tethered SMAs show large glass transition temperatures to suppress the thermodynamic relaxation in mixed domains. For the high-performing dimeric blend, an unprecedented open circuit voltage of 0.87 V is realized with a conversion efficiency of 17.85%, while those of regular Y6-base devices only reach 0.84 V and 16.93%, respectively. Most importantly, the dimer-based device possesses substantially reduced burn-in efficiency loss, retaining more than 80% of the initial efficiency after operating at the maximum power point under continuous illumination for 700 h. The tethering approach provides a new direction to develop PSCs with high efficiency and excellent operating stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shangyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Physics, Biomolecular and Organic Electronics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, Linköping, SE-58183, Sweden
| | - Ming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Jia Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Zhengxing Peng
- Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Qi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Cen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Bowen Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yang Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Hongyuan Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yanni Ouyang
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Physics, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P. R. China
| | - Chunfeng Zhang
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Physics, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P. R. China
| | - Julian A Steele
- cMACS, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
- School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Thamraa Alshahrani
- Department of Physics, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maarten B J Roeffaers
- cMACS, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
| | - Eduardo Solano
- NCD-SWEET beamline, ALBA Synchrotron Light Source, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08290, Spain
| | - Lei Meng
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Feng Gao
- Department of Physics, Biomolecular and Organic Electronics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, Linköping, SE-58183, Sweden
| | - Yongfang Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Zhi-Guo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
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Sequential Processing Enables 17% All-Polymer Solar Cells via Non-Halogen Organic Solvent. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27175739. [PMID: 36080502 PMCID: PMC9458225 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27175739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
All-polymer solar cells (All-PSCs), whose electron donor and acceptors are both polymeric materials, have attracted great research attention in the past few years. However, most all-PSC devices with top-of-the-line efficiencies are processed from chloroform. In this work, we apply the sequential processing (SqP) method to fabricate All-PSCs from an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent, toluene, and obtain efficiencies up to 17.0%. By conducting a series of characterizations on our films and devices, we demonstrate that the preparation of SqP devices using toluene can effectively reduce carrier recombination, enhance carrier mobility and promote the fill factor of the device.
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