Additive-Morphology Interplay and Loss Channels in “All-Small-Molecule” Bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) Solar Cells with the Nonfullerene Acceptor IDTTBM

Ru Ze Liang, Maxime Babics, Akmaral Seitkhan, Kai Wang, Paul Bythell Geraghty, Sergei Lopatin, Federico Cruciani, Yuliar Firdaus, Marco Caporuscio, David J. Jones, Pierre M. Beaujuge*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

38 Scopus citations

Abstract

Achieving efficient bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells from blends of solution-processable small-molecule (SM) donors and acceptors is proved particularly challenging due to the complexity in obtaining a favorable donor–acceptor morphology. In this report, the BHJ device performance pattern of a set of analogous, well-defined SM donors—DR3TBDTT (DR3), SMPV1, and BTR—used in conjunction with the SM acceptor IDTTBM is examined. Examinations show that the nonfullerene “All-SM” BHJ solar cells made with DR3 and IDTTBM can achieve power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of up to ≈4.5% (avg. 4.0%) when the solution-processing additive 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO, 0.8% v/v) is used in the blend solutions. The figures of merit of optimized DR3:IDTTBM solar cells contrast with those of “as-cast” BHJ devices from which only modest PCEs <1% can be achieved. Combining electron energy loss spectrum analyses in scanning transmission electron microscopy mode, carrier transport measurements via “metal-insulator-semiconductor carrier extraction” methods, and systematic recombination examinations by light-dependence and transient photocurrent analyses, it is shown that DIO plays a determining role—establishing a favorable lengthscale for the phase-separated SM donor–acceptor network and, in turn, improving the balance in hole/electron mobilities and the carrier collection efficiencies overall.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number1705464
JournalAdvanced Functional Materials
Volume28
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 14 2018

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Keywords

  • bulk heterojunctions
  • nonfullerenes
  • organic photovoltaics
  • small molecules
  • solar cells

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Chemistry
  • General Materials Science
  • Condensed Matter Physics

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