Systematic structure modification of a low bandgap conjugated polymer improves thin film morphology and photovoltaic performance by incorporating naphthalene into side chains

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (29) ◽  
pp. 7669-7676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Sun ◽  
Chao Zhang ◽  
Qizan Huang ◽  
Bin Dai ◽  
Baoping Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Active Layer ◽  
Conjugated Polymer ◽  
Photovoltaic Performance ◽  
Side Chain ◽  
Side Chains ◽  
Film Morphology ◽  
Structure Modification ◽  
Low Bandgap ◽  
Systematic Structure

A naphthalene group was incorporated into the polymer side chain to help the active layer spontaneously form good film morphology.

scholarly journals Variation of the Side Chain Branch Position Leads to Vastly Improved Molecular Weight and OPV Performance in 4,8-dialkoxybenzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene/2,1,3-benzothiadiazole Copolymers

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert C. Coffin ◽  
Christopher M. MacNeill ◽  
Eric D. Peterson ◽  
Jeremy W. Ward ◽  
Jack W. Owen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Thin Film Transistor ◽  
Power Conversion ◽  
Hole Mobility ◽  
Side Chain ◽  
Side Chains ◽  
Absorption Profile ◽  
Polymer Backbone ◽  
Chain Branch

Through manipulation of the solubilizing side chains, we were able to dramatically improve the molecular weight(Mw)of 4,8-dialkoxybenzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene (BDT)/2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (BT) copolymers. When dodecyl side chains (P1) are employed at the 4- and 8-positions of the BDT unit, we obtain a chloroform-soluble copolymer fraction withMwof 6.3 kg/mol. Surprisingly, by moving to the commonly employed 2-ethylhexyl branch (P2),Mwdecreases to 3.4 kg/mol. This is despite numerous reports that this side chain increases solubility andMw. By moving the ethyl branch in one position relative to the polymer backbone (1-ethylhexyl,P3),Mwis dramatically increased to 68.8 kg/mol. As a result of thisMwincrease, the shape of the absorption profile is dramatically altered, withλmax= 637 nm compared with 598 nm forP1and 579 nm forP2. The hole mobility as determined by thin film transistor (TFT) measurements is improved from~1×10−6 cm2/Vs forP1andP2to7×10−4 cm2/Vs forP3, while solar cell power conversion efficiency in increased to2.91%forP3relative to0.31%and0.19%forP1andP2, respectively.

Side-chain engineering for fine-tuning of molecular packing and nanoscale blend morphology in polymer photodetectors

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (13) ◽  
pp. 2055-2062 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liuyong Hu ◽  
Wenqiang Qiao ◽  
Xiaokang Zhou ◽  
Jinfeng Han ◽  
Xiaoqin Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Packing ◽  
Fine Tuning ◽  
Side Chain ◽  
Side Chains ◽  
Low Bandgap ◽  
Blend Morphology

Enhancing the performance of polymer photodetectors by finely tuning the side chains of low-bandgap polymers.

Low band gap conjugated polymers combining siloxane-terminated side chains and alkyl side chains: side-chain engineering achieving a large active layer processing window for PCE > 10% in polymer solar cells

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (33) ◽  
pp. 17619-17631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuncheng Liu ◽  
Li Nian ◽  
Ke Gao ◽  
Lianjie Zhang ◽  
Lechi Qing ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conjugated Polymers ◽  
Active Layer ◽  
Polymer Solar Cells ◽  
Hole Transport ◽  
Random Copolymers ◽  
Side Chain ◽  
Active Layer Thickness ◽  
Side Chains ◽  
Alkyl Side Chains ◽  
Thickness Tolerance

Side-chain random copolymers show high 3-D hole transport and offer excellent active layer thickness tolerance.

Planar, bulk and hybrid merocyanine/C60heterojunction devices: a case study on thin film morphology and photovoltaic performance

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 4473-4482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antti Ojala ◽  
Hannah Bürckstümmer ◽  
Jaehyung Hwang ◽  
Katja Graf ◽  
Bernhard von Vacano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Photovoltaic Performance ◽  
Film Morphology

scholarly journals Templated Growth of Fullerene C60 Crystals by Triptycene in  Polymer Blend Films

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Cole Ross Lomas
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Phase Separation ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Polymer Film ◽  
Active Layer ◽  
Polymer Films ◽  
Conjugated Polymer ◽  
Electronic Devices ◽  
Fullerene C60 ◽  
Film Morphology

<p>Molecular semiconductors such as fullerene C60 have become ubiquitous components of organic electronic devices, owing to their electronic structure and favourable material processing properties. In most conjugated polymer-fullerene films that form the active layer in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells, organisation of the fullerene phases to the correct nanoscale dimensions for exciton charge separation and transportation to the device electrodes is driven by excess fullerene addition. While this approach can deliver acceptable film morphology for a BHJ solar cell, it is not optimal as the photoactive polymer component of the film becomes diluted by C60 thereby reducing device efficiency. This motivates a supramolecular approach as an alternative method to control fullerene assembly and give morphological control of conjugated polymer films. Triptycene (TPC) is a readily available molecule whose rigid paddle wheel structure and hydrophobicity present three excellent C60 binding cavities. Triptycene has the potential to template the macroscopic assembly of fullerene molecules within a polymer-fullerene blend film, thereby controlling phase separation without excess fullerene addition. In this project, the ability of TPC to template the assembly of C60 was investigated in single crystals, polymer films, and in functional electronic devices. Blue-shifted fluorescence from TPC·C60 co-crystals was used as a spectroscopic signature to probe the molecular environment of C60 dispersed through an optically transparent polystyrene polymer film, and confirm that TPC hosts C60 molecules within the polymer matrix. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy of the polystyrene:C60:TPC films confirmed a reduction in the orbital overlap between adjacent C60 molecules providing further evidence that TPC had spatially separated C60 molecules upon templating the macroscopic assembly. When TPC was added to conjugated polymer poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethyhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) and MEHPPV: C60 films as a blend additive, fluorescence spectroscopy identified two unique effects: (1) the suppression of excimer states when TPC spatially separated the conjugated polymer chains, and (2) the assembly of C60 into larger domains to drive polymer and C60 phase separation, giving morphological control of the polymer film. The fabrication of polystyrene:C60:TPC sandwich devices showed the electronic conduction of C60 was unaltered by spatial separation and reduction in electronic coupling between neighbouring C60 molecules caused by TPC templation. MEHPPV: C60 BHJ solar cells suffered a loss in photocurent when TPC was added to the active layer when compared to fabricated devices that used excess fullerene addition to control film morphology. However, due to time constraints, only one polymer film composition was able to be tested. Since the polymer film morphology was shown to be sensitive to the molar ratios of C60 and TPC, there is immense potential to further investigate TPC as a blend additive in conjugated polymer films and optimise the film composition to obtain desirable morphology for a BHJ solar cell. The functionalisation of TPC could provide a method to further enhance interactions between TPC and C60 and provide greater control over C60 self-assembly within a polymer film.</p>

Understanding the impact of side-chains on photovoltaic performance in efficient all-polymer solar cells

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (40) ◽  
pp. 12641-12649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bin Li ◽  
Qilin Zhang ◽  
Gaole Dai ◽  
Hua Fan ◽  
Xin Yuan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Conjugated Polymer ◽  
Polymer Solar Cell ◽  
Polymer Solar Cells ◽  
Photovoltaic Performance ◽  
Cell Performance ◽  
Side Chain ◽  
Solar Cell Performance ◽  
The Impact

We performed side-chain fluorination and alkylthio substituent in a template conjugated polymer and further investigate their impact on polymer–polymer solar cell performance.

Enhancement the photovoltaic performance of conjugated polymer based on simple head-to-head alkylthio side chains engineered bithiophene

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (9) ◽  
pp. 2459-2464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuoji Liu ◽  
Chengjia Bao ◽  
Guangjun Zhang ◽  
Kai Zhang ◽  
Gangtie Lei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conjugated Polymer ◽  
Photovoltaic Performance ◽  
Side Chains

scholarly journals An investigation of the role acceptor side chains play in the processibility and efficiency of organic solar cells fabricated from small molecular donors featuring 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene cores

RSC Advances ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (69) ◽  
pp. 39231-39240
Author(s):  
N. A. Mica ◽  
S. A. J. Almahmoud ◽  
L. Krishnan Jagadamma ◽  
G. Cooke ◽  
I. D. W. Samuel
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Small Molecule ◽  
Organic Solar Cells ◽  
Chemical Nature ◽  
Photovoltaic Performance ◽  
Side Chain ◽  
Side Chains ◽  
Acceptor Side

The chemical nature of the acceptor side chain plays an important role in the processability and photovoltaic performance of EDOT-based small molecule donors.

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