A Small Molecule Non-Fullerene Electron Acceptor for Organic Solar Cells

Paul E. Schwenn; K. Gui; Alexandre M. Nardes; Karsten B. Krueger; Kwan H. Lee; Karyn Mutkins; Halina Rubinstein-Dunlop; Paul E. Shaw; Nikos Kopidakis; Paul L. Burn; Paul Meredith

doi:10.1002/aenm.201000024

A Small Molecule Non-Fullerene Electron Acceptor for Organic Solar Cells

Paul E. Schwenn, K. Gui, Alexandre M. Nardes, Karsten B. Krueger, Kwan H. Lee, Karyn Mutkins, Halina Rubinstein-Dunlop, Paul E. Shaw, Nikos Kopidakis, Paul L. Burn, Paul Meredith

Chemistry and Nanoscience

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

152 Scopus Citations

Abstract

Organic bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices predominantly use the fullerene derivatives [C60]PCBM and [C70]PCBM as the electron accepting component. This report presents a new organic electron accepting small molecule 2-[{7-(9,9-di- -propyl-9 -fl uoren-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazol-4-yl} methylene]malononitrile (K12) for organic solar cell applications. It can be processed by evaporation under vacuum or by solution processing to give amorphous thin films and can be annealed at a modest temperature to give films with much greater order and enhanced charge transport properties. The molecule can efficiently quench the photoluminescence of the donor polymer poly(3- -hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) and time resolved microwave conductivity measurements show that mobile charges are generated indicating that a truly charge separated state is formed. The power conversion efficiencies of the photovoltaic devices are found to depend strongly on the acceptor packing. Optimized K12:P3HT bulk heterojunction devices have efficiencies of 0.73 ± 0.01% under AM1.5G simulated sunlight. The efficiencies of the devices are limited by the level of crystallinity and nanoscale morphology that was achievable in the blend with P3HT.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	73-81
Number of pages	9
Journal	Advanced Energy Materials
Volume	1
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201000024 https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201000024
State	Published - 2011

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-5900-52345

Keywords

organic solar cells
performance
photovoltaic
PV
semiconductor

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title = "A Small Molecule Non-Fullerene Electron Acceptor for Organic Solar Cells",

abstract = "Organic bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices predominantly use the fullerene derivatives [C60]PCBM and [C70]PCBM as the electron accepting component. This report presents a new organic electron accepting small molecule 2-[{7-(9,9-di- -propyl-9 -fl uoren-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazol-4-yl} methylene]malononitrile (K12) for organic solar cell applications. It can be processed by evaporation under vacuum or by solution processing to give amorphous thin films and can be annealed at a modest temperature to give films with much greater order and enhanced charge transport properties. The molecule can efficiently quench the photoluminescence of the donor polymer poly(3- -hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) and time resolved microwave conductivity measurements show that mobile charges are generated indicating that a truly charge separated state is formed. The power conversion efficiencies of the photovoltaic devices are found to depend strongly on the acceptor packing. Optimized K12:P3HT bulk heterojunction devices have efficiencies of 0.73 ± 0.01% under AM1.5G simulated sunlight. The efficiencies of the devices are limited by the level of crystallinity and nanoscale morphology that was achievable in the blend with P3HT.",

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AU - Gui, K.

AU - Nardes, Alexandre M.

AU - Krueger, Karsten B.

AU - Lee, Kwan H.

AU - Mutkins, Karyn

AU - Rubinstein-Dunlop, Halina

AU - Shaw, Paul E.

AU - Kopidakis, Nikos

AU - Burn, Paul L.

AU - Meredith, Paul

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N2 - Organic bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices predominantly use the fullerene derivatives [C60]PCBM and [C70]PCBM as the electron accepting component. This report presents a new organic electron accepting small molecule 2-[{7-(9,9-di- -propyl-9 -fl uoren-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazol-4-yl} methylene]malononitrile (K12) for organic solar cell applications. It can be processed by evaporation under vacuum or by solution processing to give amorphous thin films and can be annealed at a modest temperature to give films with much greater order and enhanced charge transport properties. The molecule can efficiently quench the photoluminescence of the donor polymer poly(3- -hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) and time resolved microwave conductivity measurements show that mobile charges are generated indicating that a truly charge separated state is formed. The power conversion efficiencies of the photovoltaic devices are found to depend strongly on the acceptor packing. Optimized K12:P3HT bulk heterojunction devices have efficiencies of 0.73 ± 0.01% under AM1.5G simulated sunlight. The efficiencies of the devices are limited by the level of crystallinity and nanoscale morphology that was achievable in the blend with P3HT.

AB - Organic bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices predominantly use the fullerene derivatives [C60]PCBM and [C70]PCBM as the electron accepting component. This report presents a new organic electron accepting small molecule 2-[{7-(9,9-di- -propyl-9 -fl uoren-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazol-4-yl} methylene]malononitrile (K12) for organic solar cell applications. It can be processed by evaporation under vacuum or by solution processing to give amorphous thin films and can be annealed at a modest temperature to give films with much greater order and enhanced charge transport properties. The molecule can efficiently quench the photoluminescence of the donor polymer poly(3- -hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) and time resolved microwave conductivity measurements show that mobile charges are generated indicating that a truly charge separated state is formed. The power conversion efficiencies of the photovoltaic devices are found to depend strongly on the acceptor packing. Optimized K12:P3HT bulk heterojunction devices have efficiencies of 0.73 ± 0.01% under AM1.5G simulated sunlight. The efficiencies of the devices are limited by the level of crystallinity and nanoscale morphology that was achievable in the blend with P3HT.

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A Small Molecule Non-Fullerene Electron Acceptor for Organic Solar Cells

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Keywords

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