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Title: Enhancing Indacenodithiophene Acceptor Crystallinity via Substituent Manipulation Increases Organic Solar Cell Efficiency

Abstract

The post-fullerene indacenodithiophene acceptor ITIC is a highly effective n-type component of high-performance bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) polymer solar cells (PSCs) for reasons that are not well-understood. Here, the impact of the ITIC alkyl substituent architecture on PSC active layer film morphology, charge transport, and photovoltaic (PV) performance is investigated with the donor polymers PBDB-T and PBDB-TF. On progressing from n-propyl to n-hexyl to n-nonyl ITIC substituents, PSC power conversion efficiency (PCE) increases from <0.1 % to 9.31% to 10.24%, respectively. BHJ blend morphology, carrier recombination dynamics, and PV performance with both donor polymers as probed by AFM, XRD, GIWAXS, and light intensity dependence correlate with marked differences in ITIC acceptor crystallinity. The DSC cold crystallization temperatures of the nhexyl and n-nonyl-functionalized acceptors are found to closely track the annealing temperatures for optimum PSC performance. These results identify a promising strategy for optimizing the performance of post-fullerene acceptor PSCs.

Authors:
 [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Argonne-Northwestern Solar Energy Research Center (ANSER)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
OSTI Identifier:
1470383
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0001059
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Chemistry of Materials
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 29; Journal Issue: 24; Related Information: ANSER partners with Northwestern University (lead); Argonne National Laboratory; University of Chicago; University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Yale University; Journal ID: ISSN 0897-4756
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY; catalysis (homogeneous); catalysis (heterogeneous); solar (photovoltaic); solar (fuels); photosynthesis (natural and artificial); bio-inspired; hydrogen and fuel cells; electrodes - solar, defects; charge transport; spin dynamics; membrane; materials and chemistry by design; optics; synthesis (novel materials); synthesis (self-assembly)

Citation Formats

Aldrich, Thomas J., Swick, Steven M., Melkonyan, Ferdinand S., and Marks, Tobin J. Enhancing Indacenodithiophene Acceptor Crystallinity via Substituent Manipulation Increases Organic Solar Cell Efficiency. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1021/acs.chemmater.7b04616.
Aldrich, Thomas J., Swick, Steven M., Melkonyan, Ferdinand S., & Marks, Tobin J. Enhancing Indacenodithiophene Acceptor Crystallinity via Substituent Manipulation Increases Organic Solar Cell Efficiency. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.7b04616
Aldrich, Thomas J., Swick, Steven M., Melkonyan, Ferdinand S., and Marks, Tobin J. Mon . "Enhancing Indacenodithiophene Acceptor Crystallinity via Substituent Manipulation Increases Organic Solar Cell Efficiency". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.7b04616. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1470383.
@article{osti_1470383,
title = {Enhancing Indacenodithiophene Acceptor Crystallinity via Substituent Manipulation Increases Organic Solar Cell Efficiency},
author = {Aldrich, Thomas J. and Swick, Steven M. and Melkonyan, Ferdinand S. and Marks, Tobin J.},
abstractNote = {The post-fullerene indacenodithiophene acceptor ITIC is a highly effective n-type component of high-performance bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) polymer solar cells (PSCs) for reasons that are not well-understood. Here, the impact of the ITIC alkyl substituent architecture on PSC active layer film morphology, charge transport, and photovoltaic (PV) performance is investigated with the donor polymers PBDB-T and PBDB-TF. On progressing from n-propyl to n-hexyl to n-nonyl ITIC substituents, PSC power conversion efficiency (PCE) increases from <0.1 % to 9.31% to 10.24%, respectively. BHJ blend morphology, carrier recombination dynamics, and PV performance with both donor polymers as probed by AFM, XRD, GIWAXS, and light intensity dependence correlate with marked differences in ITIC acceptor crystallinity. The DSC cold crystallization temperatures of the nhexyl and n-nonyl-functionalized acceptors are found to closely track the annealing temperatures for optimum PSC performance. These results identify a promising strategy for optimizing the performance of post-fullerene acceptor PSCs.},
doi = {10.1021/acs.chemmater.7b04616},
journal = {Chemistry of Materials},
number = 24,
volume = 29,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Nov 27 00:00:00 EST 2017},
month = {Mon Nov 27 00:00:00 EST 2017}
}

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