Polymer/Polymer Blend Solar Cells Using Tetraazabenzodifluoranthene Diimide Conjugated Polymers as Electron Acceptors

Li, Haiyan; Hwang, Ye-Jin; Earmme, Taeshik; Huber, Rachel C.; Courtright, Brett A. E.; O’Brien, Conor; Tolbert, Sarah H.; Jenekhe, Samson A.

doi:10.1021/ma502042k

Polymer/Polymer Blend Solar Cells Using Tetraazabenzodifluoranthene Diimide Conjugated Polymers as Electron Acceptors

Journal Article · Wed Mar 11 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Macromolecules

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ma502042k· OSTI ID:1370582

Li, Haiyan ^[1]; Hwang, Ye-Jin ^[1]; Earmme, Taeshik ^[1]; Huber, Rachel C. ^[2]; Courtright, Brett A. E. ^[1]; O’Brien, Conor ^[1]; Tolbert, Sarah H. ^[2]; Jenekhe, Samson A. ^[1]

Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

Two n-type semiconducting polymers with alternating arylene (thiophene or selenophene)–tetraazabenzodifluoranthene diimide (BFI) donor–acceptor architecture have been investigated as new electron acceptors in polymer/polymer blend solar cells. The new selenophene-linked polymer, PBFI-S, has a significantly smaller optical band gap (1.13 eV) than the thiophene-linked PBFI-T (1.38 eV); however, both polymers have similar HOMO/LUMO energy levels determined from cyclic voltammetry. Blends of PBFI-T with the thiazolothiazole–dithienylsilole donor polymer (PSEHTT) gave a 2.60% power conversion efficiency (PCE) with a 7.34 mA/cm² short-circuit current. In contrast, PBFI-S:PSEHTT blends had a 0.75% PCE with similarly reduced photocurrent and external quantum efficiency. As a result, reduced free energy for charge transfer and reduced bulk electron mobility in PBFI-S:PSEHTT blends compared to PBFI-T:PSEHTT blends as well as significant differences in bulk film morphology are among the reasons for the large loss in efficiency in PBFI-S:PSEHTT blend solar cells.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Molecularly Engineered Energy Materials (MEEM)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Science Foundation; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-76SF00515; FG02-07ER46467; SC0001342

OSTI ID:: 1370582

Journal Information:: Macromolecules, Journal Name: Macromolecules Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 48; ISSN 0024-9297

Publisher:: American Chemical SocietyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Polymer/Polymer Blend Solar Cells Using Tetraazabenzodifluoranthene Diimide Conjugated Polymers as Electron Acceptors

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