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A benzodithiophene-based novel electron transport layer for a highly efficient polymer solar cell
Hong Il Kim1, Thi Thu Trang Bui, Guan-Woo Kim
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology , 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 790-784, Korea.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|September 5, 2014
Summary
A new conjugated polyelectrolyte, poly(PBN), improved organic solar cell efficiency by 21.1% when used as an electron-transporting layer. This enhancement is due to reduced resistance and better charge collection, boosting power conversion to 8.6%.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Organic Electronics
- Photovoltaics
Background:
- Organic solar cells (OSCs) require efficient electron-transporting layers (ETLs) to optimize performance.
- Interface engineering is crucial for minimizing energy losses and maximizing charge extraction in OSCs.
- Novel materials are continuously sought to improve the stability and efficiency of OSC devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize a novel conjugated polyelectrolyte (CPE), poly{3-[2-[4,8-bis(2-ethyl-hexyloxy)-6-methyl-1,5-dithia-s-indacen-2-yl]-9-(3-dimethylamino-propyl)-7-methyl-9H-fluoren-9-yl]-propyl}-dimethyl-amine (PBN).
- To investigate the efficacy of PBN as an electron-transporting layer in inverted structure organic solar cells.
- To evaluate the impact of the PBN ETL on device performance, including power conversion efficiency (PCE) and interfacial properties.
Main Methods:
- Chemical synthesis and characterization of the novel CPE, PBN.
- Fabrication of inverted organic solar cells using a blend of poly({4,8-bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene-2,6-diyl}{3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b]thiophenediyl}) (PTB7) and PC70BM as the active layer.
- Integration of PBN as an electron-transporting layer on a ZnO interlayer.
- Performance testing of the fabricated devices, including current density-voltage (J-V) measurements and efficiency calculations.
Main Results:
- The synthesized PBN demonstrated suitable properties for an electron-transporting layer.
- Devices incorporating the PBN ETL achieved a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of up to 8.6%.
- A significant performance improvement of 21.1% was observed compared to control devices without the PBN layer (7.1% PCE).
Conclusions:
- The novel conjugated polyelectrolyte PBN effectively functions as an electron-transporting layer in organic solar cells.
- The PBN ETL significantly enhances device performance by reducing interfacial resistance and improving charge transport and collection.
- The findings highlight the potential of PBN as a promising material for developing highly efficient organic photovoltaic devices.
