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Title: Correlating highpower conversion efficiency of PTB7:PC71BM inverted organic solar cells with nanoscale structures [Unraveling the correlation between the structural aspects and power conversion efficiency in PTB7:PC71BM inverted organic solar cells]

Abstract

Advances in materials design and device engineering led to inverted organic solar cells (i-OSCs) with superior power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) to their conventional counterparts, in addition to the well-known better ambient stability. Despite the significant progress, however, it has so far been unclear how the morphologies of the photoactive layer and its interface with the cathode modifying layer impact device performance. Here, we report an in-depth morphology study of the i-OSC active and cathode modifying layers, employing a model system with the well-established bulk-heterojunction, PTB7:PC71BM as the active layer and poly-[(9,9-bis(3 -(N,N-dimethylamino)propyl)-2,7-fluorene)-alt-2,7-(9,9-dioctylfluorene)] (PFN) as the cathode surface modifying layer. We have also identified the role of a processing additive, 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO), used in the spin-casting of the active layer to increase PCE. Using a variety of characterization techniques, we demonstrate that the high PCEs of i-OSCs are due to the smearing (diffusion) of electron-accepting PC71BM into the PFN layer, resulting in improved electron transport. The PC71BM diffusion occurs after spin-casting the active layer onto the PFN layer, when residual solvent molecules act as a plasticizer. Furthermore, the DIO additive, with a higher boiling point than the host solvent, has a longer residence time in the spin-cast active layer, resulting inmore » more PC71BM smearing and therefore more efficient electron transport. This work provides important insight and guidance to further enhancement of i-OSC performance by materials and interface engineering.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
  2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  3. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Spallation Neutron Source (SNS); Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
OSTI Identifier:
1222555
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1352519
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725; AC02-06CH11357
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Nanoscale
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 7; Journal Issue: 38; Journal ID: ISSN 2040-3364
Publisher:
Royal Society of Chemistry
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY; inverted solar cell; neutron reflectivity; SANS; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Citation Formats

Das, Sanjib, Browning, Jim, Gu, Gong, Yang, Bin, Do, Changwoo, Chen, Wei, Chen, Jihua, Ivanov, Ilia N, Hong, Kunlun, Rondinone, Adam J., Joshi, Pooran C., Geohegan, David B., Xiao, Kai, and Keum, Jong K. Correlating highpower conversion efficiency of PTB7:PC71BM inverted organic solar cells with nanoscale structures [Unraveling the correlation between the structural aspects and power conversion efficiency in PTB7:PC71BM inverted organic solar cells]. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1039/c5nr03332b.
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Das, Sanjib, Browning, Jim, Gu, Gong, Yang, Bin, Do, Changwoo, Chen, Wei, Chen, Jihua, Ivanov, Ilia N, Hong, Kunlun, Rondinone, Adam J., Joshi, Pooran C., Geohegan, David B., Xiao, Kai, & Keum, Jong K. Correlating highpower conversion efficiency of PTB7:PC71BM inverted organic solar cells with nanoscale structures [Unraveling the correlation between the structural aspects and power conversion efficiency in PTB7:PC71BM inverted organic solar cells]. United States. https://doi.org/10.1039/c5nr03332b
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Das, Sanjib, Browning, Jim, Gu, Gong, Yang, Bin, Do, Changwoo, Chen, Wei, Chen, Jihua, Ivanov, Ilia N, Hong, Kunlun, Rondinone, Adam J., Joshi, Pooran C., Geohegan, David B., Xiao, Kai, and Keum, Jong K. Thu . "Correlating highpower conversion efficiency of PTB7:PC71BM inverted organic solar cells with nanoscale structures [Unraveling the correlation between the structural aspects and power conversion efficiency in PTB7:PC71BM inverted organic solar cells]". United States. https://doi.org/10.1039/c5nr03332b. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1222555.
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@article{osti_1222555,
title = {Correlating highpower conversion efficiency of PTB7:PC71BM inverted organic solar cells with nanoscale structures [Unraveling the correlation between the structural aspects and power conversion efficiency in PTB7:PC71BM inverted organic solar cells]},
author = {Das, Sanjib and Browning, Jim and Gu, Gong and Yang, Bin and Do, Changwoo and Chen, Wei and Chen, Jihua and Ivanov, Ilia N and Hong, Kunlun and Rondinone, Adam J. and Joshi, Pooran C. and Geohegan, David B. and Xiao, Kai and Keum, Jong K.},
abstractNote = {Advances in materials design and device engineering led to inverted organic solar cells (i-OSCs) with superior power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) to their conventional counterparts, in addition to the well-known better ambient stability. Despite the significant progress, however, it has so far been unclear how the morphologies of the photoactive layer and its interface with the cathode modifying layer impact device performance. Here, we report an in-depth morphology study of the i-OSC active and cathode modifying layers, employing a model system with the well-established bulk-heterojunction, PTB7:PC71BM as the active layer and poly-[(9,9-bis(3 -(N,N-dimethylamino)propyl)-2,7-fluorene)-alt-2,7-(9,9-dioctylfluorene)] (PFN) as the cathode surface modifying layer. We have also identified the role of a processing additive, 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO), used in the spin-casting of the active layer to increase PCE. Using a variety of characterization techniques, we demonstrate that the high PCEs of i-OSCs are due to the smearing (diffusion) of electron-accepting PC71BM into the PFN layer, resulting in improved electron transport. The PC71BM diffusion occurs after spin-casting the active layer onto the PFN layer, when residual solvent molecules act as a plasticizer. Furthermore, the DIO additive, with a higher boiling point than the host solvent, has a longer residence time in the spin-cast active layer, resulting in more PC71BM smearing and therefore more efficient electron transport. This work provides important insight and guidance to further enhancement of i-OSC performance by materials and interface engineering.},
doi = {10.1039/c5nr03332b},
journal = {Nanoscale},
number = 38,
volume = 7,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jul 16 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Thu Jul 16 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}
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