Optimized molecular aggregation via incorporating fluorinated unit in the polymer donor for 17.3% efficiency organic solar cells

Journal Article · 14 December 2021 · Chemical Engineering Journal

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2021.134117 · OSTI ID:1981558

Guo, Qing ^[1]; Lin, Ji ^[2]; Dong, Xingliang ^[2]; Zhu, Lei ^[3]; Guo, Xia ^[2]; Liu, Feng ^[3]; Zhang, Maojie ^[2]

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1. Soochow University, Suzhou (China); Zhengzhou University (China)
2. Soochow University, Suzhou (China)
3. Shanghai Jiao Tong Univ. (China)

Regulating molecular aggregation state via chemical modification of photovoltaic materials to optimize the blend morphology is an effective and challenging strategy to improve the photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells (OSCs). Here, in this work, we demonstrate a random terpolymerization strategy by incorporating 1,3-bis(5-bromo-4-fluorothiophen-2-yl)-5,7-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-4H,8H-benzo[1,2-c:4,5-c']bisthiophene-4,8-dione (BFT, 30 mol%) unit with fluorinated π-bridges into the molecular backbone of PM6 and develop a terpolymer PF1. Benefiting from the strong electronegativity of fluorine atom and noncovalent interaction of F---S, the energy levels, molecular ordering, and aggregation properties of the polymer donors are precisely regulated. Notably, in the active layer film based on PF1: Y6, the π-π stacking distance can reduce to 3.51 Å, which is significantly smaller than that of PM6:Y6 (3.65 Å) and boosts the effective exciton dissociation and charge transport, thereby effectively optimize the photovoltaic properties of the related devices. As a result, the PF1:Y6-based OSCs achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of up to 17.3%, which is much higher than that of the controlled OSCs based on PM6:Y6 (PCE = 16.2%). These results demonstrate high-efficiency OSCs enabled by regulating molecular aggregation via terpolymerization strategy.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Advanced Light Source (ALS)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 1981558
• Journal Information: Chemical Engineering Journal, Journal Name: Chemical Engineering Journal Journal Issue: P2 Vol. 431; ISSN 1385-8947
• Publisher: ElsevierCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English