Tuning Intermolecular Interactions With Solid Additives to Optimize Molecular Aggregation and Molecular Packing in...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Renewable Energy

Background:

• All-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) face challenges with polymer aggregation and phase separation, limiting performance.
• Poor compatibility between donor and acceptor polymers is a key issue in all-PSC development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce volatile solid additives for controlling aggregation and phase separation in all-PSCs.
• To investigate the role of electrostatic interactions in modulating polymer blend miscibility and morphology.

Main Methods:

• Computational modeling and experimental characterization were employed.
• Volatile solid additives were incorporated into the polymer blend during film fabrication.
• Morphology evolution and intermolecular interactions were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Strong electrostatic potential coupling between the additive and polymer acceptor was identified as crucial.
• The additive effectively reduced aggregate size and enhanced molecular packing.
• All-PSCs with the additive achieved a power conversion efficiency of 18.62%, up from 14.93%.

Conclusions:

• Engineered electrostatic interactions via solid additives offer a viable strategy for optimizing all-PSC morphology.
• This approach successfully addresses polymer aggregation and phase separation issues.
• The study demonstrates a significant performance enhancement in all-PSCs through controlled intermolecular forces.