Surpassing 13% Efficiency for Polythiophene Organic Solar Cells Processed from Nonhalogenated Solvent
Jingyang Xiao1, Xiao'e Jia2, Chunhui Duan1
1State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Institute of Polymer Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, 381 Wushan Road, Guangzhou, 510640, P. R. China.
A new fluorinated polythiophene derivative, P4T2F-HD, improved organic solar cell (OSC) performance by optimizing bulk heterojunction (BHJ) morphology. This breakthrough achieved a record power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 13.65% for polythiophene-based OSCs.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Organic Electronics
- Photovoltaics
Background:
- Polythiophene (PT) derivatives are cost-effective donor materials for organic solar cells (OSCs).
- PT-based OSCs exhibit lower power conversion efficiency (PCE) compared to donor-acceptor (D-A) conjugated polymers.
- Optimizing morphology and miscibility in the active layer is crucial for enhancing OSC performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a fluorinated polythiophene derivative, P4T2F-HD, for improved OSC performance.
- To investigate the effect of P4T2F-HD on the miscibility and morphology of the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) active layer.
- To achieve a new record PCE for polythiophene-based OSCs.
Main Methods:
- Calculated Flory-Huggins interaction parameters using surface energy and differential scanning calorimetry.
- Analyzed BHJ film morphology using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS).
- Optimized cathode interface and film processing using nonhalogenated solvents.
Main Results:
- P4T2F-HD demonstrated moderate miscibility with the nonfullerene acceptor Y6-BO, unlike the high miscibility of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) with Y6-BO.
- P4T2F-HD:Y6-BO BHJ films exhibited desired nanoscale phase separation, while P3HT:Y6-BO films showed complete mixing.
- A record PCE of 13.65% was achieved for P4T2F-HD:Y6-BO based OSCs.
Conclusions:
- Controlling donor/acceptor (D/A) interactions is key to achieving optimal BHJ morphology.
- P4T2F-HD is a promising material for developing cost-effective organic solar cells.
- Fluorinated polythiophene derivatives offer a viable route to enhance OSC performance.
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