Functionalized Amphiphilic Diblock Fullerene Derivatives as a Cathode Buffer Layer for Efficient Inverted Organic...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Organic Electronics
• Photovoltaics

Background:

• Interface layers are crucial for balancing compatibility and energy barriers in inverted organic solar cells (OSCs).
• Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a common material used in OSCs, but its interface with organic layers requires optimization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and apply novel amphiphilic diblock fullerene derivatives as interface layers in OSCs.
• To improve the interface compatibility between ZnO and the organic active layer.
• To enhance the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of inverted OSCs.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of two functionalized amphiphilic diblock fullerene derivatives: C60-2DPE and C60-4HTPB.
• Application of these derivatives as interface layers on ZnO.
• Solvent treatment to induce self-assembly of the fullerene derivatives on ZnO.
• Fabrication and testing of inverted OSC devices using the PTB7-Th:PC71BM system.

Main Results:

• The synthesized fullerene derivatives, C60-2DPE and C60-4HTPB, effectively self-assembled on ZnO via solvent treatment.
• The amphiphilic interface layer improved compatibility between ZnO and the organic active layer.
• OSC devices incorporating C60-2DPE and C60-4HTPB achieved power conversion efficiencies of 9.21% and 8.86%, respectively.

Conclusions:

• Functionalized amphiphilic fullerene derivatives serve as effective cathode buffer layers in inverted OSCs.
• These materials enhance interfacial properties, leading to improved device performance.
• The developed interface modification strategy offers a promising route for advancing organic solar cell technology.