Abstract
Fullerene-free organic photovoltaics have recently reached impressive power conversion efficiencies above 14% for single junctions, increasing their competitiveness with respect to alternative thin-film technologies. In most record devices, electron-donating conjugated polymers are combined with novel generation small molecule acceptors. All-polymer organic solar cells, on the other hand, still lag behind in efficiency, although they have specific advantages in terms of ink formulation and long-term operational stability. Another point of attention is the synthetic complexity of the active layer materials, notably on the side of the new acceptor molecules. Therefore, the present study focuses on the implementation of the stable and cost-effective perylene diimide structure as the key component of high-performance electron-accepting polymers. The synthesis, structural and optoelectronic characterization of four push-pull type copolymers containing the electron-deficient bis(perylene diimide) (bis-PDI) unit is reported, as well as the photovoltaic analysis of these acceptor materials in combination with a well-known donor polymer (PTB7-Th). The acceptor polymers differ in the electron-rich part of the alternating push-pull structure and their solar cell power conversion efficiencies range from 3.2 to 4.7%. The maximum efficiency - the best performance achieved with a bis-PDI polymer so far - is obtained for the structurally most simple polymer, containing merely thiophene as the electron-rich building block. Controlled degradation under blue light in air is monitored by the bleaching of the relevant UV–Vis absorption bands, demonstrating high stability for the bis-PDI-thiophene containing polymers as compared to some prototype small molecule acceptors (FBR and ITIC).
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 178-184 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells |
| Volume | 196 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jul 2019 |
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Keywords
- All-polymer
- Fullerene-free
- Organic photovoltaics
- Perylene diimide
- Photostability
- Synthetic complexity
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All-polymer solar cells based on photostable bis(perylene diimide) acceptor polymers. / Lenaerts, Ruben; Cardeynaels, Tom; Sudakov, Ivan; Kesters, Jurgen; Verstappen, Pieter; Manca, Jean; Champagne, Benoît; Lutsen, Laurence; Vanderzande, Dirk; Vandewal, Koen; Goovaerts, Etienne; Maes, Wouter.
In: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 196, 01.07.2019, p. 178-184.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - All-polymer solar cells based on photostable bis(perylene diimide) acceptor polymers
AU - Lenaerts, Ruben
AU - Cardeynaels, Tom
AU - Sudakov, Ivan
AU - Kesters, Jurgen
AU - Verstappen, Pieter
AU - Manca, Jean
AU - Champagne, Benoît
AU - Lutsen, Laurence
AU - Vanderzande, Dirk
AU - Vandewal, Koen
AU - Goovaerts, Etienne
AU - Maes, Wouter
PY - 2019/7/1
Y1 - 2019/7/1
N2 - Fullerene-free organic photovoltaics have recently reached impressive power conversion efficiencies above 14% for single junctions, increasing their competitiveness with respect to alternative thin-film technologies. In most record devices, electron-donating conjugated polymers are combined with novel generation small molecule acceptors. All-polymer organic solar cells, on the other hand, still lag behind in efficiency, although they have specific advantages in terms of ink formulation and long-term operational stability. Another point of attention is the synthetic complexity of the active layer materials, notably on the side of the new acceptor molecules. Therefore, the present study focuses on the implementation of the stable and cost-effective perylene diimide structure as the key component of high-performance electron-accepting polymers. The synthesis, structural and optoelectronic characterization of four push-pull type copolymers containing the electron-deficient bis(perylene diimide) (bis-PDI) unit is reported, as well as the photovoltaic analysis of these acceptor materials in combination with a well-known donor polymer (PTB7-Th). The acceptor polymers differ in the electron-rich part of the alternating push-pull structure and their solar cell power conversion efficiencies range from 3.2 to 4.7%. The maximum efficiency - the best performance achieved with a bis-PDI polymer so far - is obtained for the structurally most simple polymer, containing merely thiophene as the electron-rich building block. Controlled degradation under blue light in air is monitored by the bleaching of the relevant UV–Vis absorption bands, demonstrating high stability for the bis-PDI-thiophene containing polymers as compared to some prototype small molecule acceptors (FBR and ITIC).
AB - Fullerene-free organic photovoltaics have recently reached impressive power conversion efficiencies above 14% for single junctions, increasing their competitiveness with respect to alternative thin-film technologies. In most record devices, electron-donating conjugated polymers are combined with novel generation small molecule acceptors. All-polymer organic solar cells, on the other hand, still lag behind in efficiency, although they have specific advantages in terms of ink formulation and long-term operational stability. Another point of attention is the synthetic complexity of the active layer materials, notably on the side of the new acceptor molecules. Therefore, the present study focuses on the implementation of the stable and cost-effective perylene diimide structure as the key component of high-performance electron-accepting polymers. The synthesis, structural and optoelectronic characterization of four push-pull type copolymers containing the electron-deficient bis(perylene diimide) (bis-PDI) unit is reported, as well as the photovoltaic analysis of these acceptor materials in combination with a well-known donor polymer (PTB7-Th). The acceptor polymers differ in the electron-rich part of the alternating push-pull structure and their solar cell power conversion efficiencies range from 3.2 to 4.7%. The maximum efficiency - the best performance achieved with a bis-PDI polymer so far - is obtained for the structurally most simple polymer, containing merely thiophene as the electron-rich building block. Controlled degradation under blue light in air is monitored by the bleaching of the relevant UV–Vis absorption bands, demonstrating high stability for the bis-PDI-thiophene containing polymers as compared to some prototype small molecule acceptors (FBR and ITIC).
KW - All-polymer
KW - Fullerene-free
KW - Organic photovoltaics
KW - Perylene diimide
KW - Photostability
KW - Synthetic complexity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85063886702&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.solmat.2019.03.044
DO - 10.1016/j.solmat.2019.03.044
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85063886702
VL - 196
SP - 178
EP - 184
JO - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
JF - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
SN - 0927-0248
ER -