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Electrostatic Modulation of Central Units Enables High-Performance Fused-Ring Trimeric Acceptors
Zheng Xu1, Saisai Liu1, Ziqi Ma1
1State 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, China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|July 27, 2026
Summary
New fused-ring trimeric acceptors offer tunable optoelectronic properties for organic solar cells (OSCs). This breakthrough enables simultaneous high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) and improved stability in photovoltaic devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Organic Electronics
- Photovoltaics
Background:
- Fused-ring trimeric acceptors combine advantages of small-molecule and polymeric acceptors for organic solar cells (OSCs).
- Tuning optoelectronic properties of these complex structures for high performance remains a challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop the first family of optically and electrostatically tunable fused-ring trimeric acceptors.
- To investigate the impact of central core modifications on acceptor properties and OSC performance.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized three fused-ring trimeric acceptors (CH34, CH35, CH36) with varying central cores (electron-donating, neutral, electron-withdrawing).
- Characterized their structural, electronic, and optical properties, including reorganization energies and electron-phonon coupling.
- Fabricated and tested organic solar cells (OSCs) using these acceptors, including ternary devices.
Main Results:
- All synthesized acceptors exhibited rigidity, planarity, small reorganization energies, and weak electron-phonon coupling.
- The central core significantly influenced energy levels and light absorption.
- CH36 achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.73%, the best for this class of acceptors.
- CH36-based ternary OSCs reached a PCE of 20.48% with enhanced operational stability.
Conclusions:
- The developed fused-ring trimeric acceptors are optically and electrostatically tunable.
- These acceptors demonstrate significant potential for achieving highly efficient and stable organic solar cells.
- The strategy of incorporating diverse central cores offers a pathway for optimizing future organic photovoltaic materials.
Keywords:
electrostatic modulationfused‐ring trimeric acceptorsoperational stabilityorganic photovoltaicMore Related Videos
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