The influence of polymer purification on the efficiency of poly(3-hexylthiophene):fullerene organic solar cells

James H. Bannock; Neil D. Treat; Michael Chabinyc; Natalie Stingelin; Martin Heeney; John C. De Mello

doi:10.1038/srep23651

The influence of polymer purification on the efficiency of poly(3-hexylthiophene):fullerene organic solar cells

James H. Bannock, Neil D. Treat, Michael Chabinyc, Natalie Stingelin, Martin Heeney, John C. De Mello

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

39 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report the influence of different polymer purification procedures on the photovoltaic performance of bulk heterojunction solar cells formed from binary blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and fullerenes. Selective Soxhlet extractions and metal scavenging agents were used to remove residual monomer, magnesium salt by-products and catalyst from high-weight P3HT (Mw 121 kg/mol, PDI 1.8, RR 99%) synthesised by the Grignard metathesis (GRIM) polymerization route. Using phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC 60 BM) as an electron acceptor, we observed an increase in average power conversion efficiency from 2.3 to 4.8% in going from crude to fully purified material. Using indene-C 60 bisadduct (IC 60 BA) in place of PC 60 BM, we observed a further increase to an average value of 6.6%-high for a bulk heterojunction formed from a binary blend of P3HT and C 60 fullerene derivatives.

Original language	English (US)
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/srep23651
State	Published - Mar 31 2016
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Generated from Scopus record by KAUST IRTS on 2023-02-14

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1038/srep23651

Cite this

@article{a4875dfea0fd4f669807fb55e01c1904,

title = "The influence of polymer purification on the efficiency of poly(3-hexylthiophene):fullerene organic solar cells",

abstract = "We report the influence of different polymer purification procedures on the photovoltaic performance of bulk heterojunction solar cells formed from binary blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and fullerenes. Selective Soxhlet extractions and metal scavenging agents were used to remove residual monomer, magnesium salt by-products and catalyst from high-weight P3HT (Mw 121 kg/mol, PDI 1.8, RR 99%) synthesised by the Grignard metathesis (GRIM) polymerization route. Using phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC 60 BM) as an electron acceptor, we observed an increase in average power conversion efficiency from 2.3 to 4.8% in going from crude to fully purified material. Using indene-C 60 bisadduct (IC 60 BA) in place of PC 60 BM, we observed a further increase to an average value of 6.6%-high for a bulk heterojunction formed from a binary blend of P3HT and C 60 fullerene derivatives.",

author = "Bannock, {James H.} and Treat, {Neil D.} and Michael Chabinyc and Natalie Stingelin and Martin Heeney and {De Mello}, {John C.}",

note = "Generated from Scopus record by KAUST IRTS on 2023-02-14",

year = "2016",

month = mar,

day = "31",

doi = "10.1038/srep23651",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "6",

journal = "Scientific Reports",

issn = "2045-2322",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The influence of polymer purification on the efficiency of poly(3-hexylthiophene):fullerene organic solar cells

AU - Bannock, James H.

AU - Treat, Neil D.

AU - Chabinyc, Michael

AU - Stingelin, Natalie

AU - Heeney, Martin

AU - De Mello, John C.

N1 - Generated from Scopus record by KAUST IRTS on 2023-02-14

PY - 2016/3/31

Y1 - 2016/3/31

N2 - We report the influence of different polymer purification procedures on the photovoltaic performance of bulk heterojunction solar cells formed from binary blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and fullerenes. Selective Soxhlet extractions and metal scavenging agents were used to remove residual monomer, magnesium salt by-products and catalyst from high-weight P3HT (Mw 121 kg/mol, PDI 1.8, RR 99%) synthesised by the Grignard metathesis (GRIM) polymerization route. Using phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC 60 BM) as an electron acceptor, we observed an increase in average power conversion efficiency from 2.3 to 4.8% in going from crude to fully purified material. Using indene-C 60 bisadduct (IC 60 BA) in place of PC 60 BM, we observed a further increase to an average value of 6.6%-high for a bulk heterojunction formed from a binary blend of P3HT and C 60 fullerene derivatives.

AB - We report the influence of different polymer purification procedures on the photovoltaic performance of bulk heterojunction solar cells formed from binary blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and fullerenes. Selective Soxhlet extractions and metal scavenging agents were used to remove residual monomer, magnesium salt by-products and catalyst from high-weight P3HT (Mw 121 kg/mol, PDI 1.8, RR 99%) synthesised by the Grignard metathesis (GRIM) polymerization route. Using phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC 60 BM) as an electron acceptor, we observed an increase in average power conversion efficiency from 2.3 to 4.8% in going from crude to fully purified material. Using indene-C 60 bisadduct (IC 60 BA) in place of PC 60 BM, we observed a further increase to an average value of 6.6%-high for a bulk heterojunction formed from a binary blend of P3HT and C 60 fullerene derivatives.

UR - https://www.nature.com/articles/srep23651

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84962920881&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/srep23651

DO - 10.1038/srep23651

M3 - Article

SN - 2045-2322

VL - 6

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

ER -

The influence of polymer purification on the efficiency of poly(3-hexylthiophene):fullerene organic solar cells

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this