Triple bulk heterojunctions as means for recovering the microstructure of photoactive layers in organic solar cell devices

Zhipeng Kan; Letizia Colella; Eleonora V. Canesi; Giovanni Lerario; R. Sai Santosh Kumar; Valentina Bonometti; Patrizia R. Mussini; Gabriella Cavallo; Giancarlo Terraneo; Pichaya Pattanasattayavong; Thomas D. Anthopoulos; Chiara Bertarelli; Panagiotis E. Keivanidis

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2013.08.007

Triple bulk heterojunctions as means for recovering the microstructure of photoactive layers in organic solar cell devices

Zhipeng Kan, Letizia Colella, Eleonora V. Canesi^*, Giovanni Lerario, R. Sai Santosh Kumar, Valentina Bonometti, Patrizia R. Mussini, Gabriella Cavallo, Giancarlo Terraneo, Pichaya Pattanasattayavong, Thomas D. Anthopoulos, Chiara Bertarelli, Panagiotis E. Keivanidis

^*Corresponding author for this work

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

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

Herein we present a methodology for improving the power conversion efficiency of organic solar cells made by photoactive layers of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and phenyl-C₆₁ butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) of non-optimized microstructure. In our study we achieve a 47% improvement in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the device by utilizing a thiophene-based quinoid (QBT) moiety as the third component in the P3HT:PCBM:QBT photoactive layers. Based on a set of independent characterization experiments we address the QBT composition dependent photophysical, electrical, thermal, structural and morphology-related properties of the ternary photovoltaic P3HT:PCBM:QBT system for elucidating the origin of the PCE improvement. In small amounts (0.3-0.6 wt%), QBT serves as a nucleation agent, it enlarges the size of the P3HT crystallites by 15% and it increases the fraction of well-ordered P3HT chains in the P3HT:PCBM:QBT layer. The improved microstructure of the photoactive layer in combination with the QBT-assisted photo-induced hole transfer step from PCBM to P3HT, lead to an increase of the charge photogeneration yield in the P3HT:PCBM:QBT triple bulk heterojunction. The relatively small optical gap of QBT facilitates a resonant energy transfer step from the photoexcited PCBM to the QBT followed by a charge transfer process between QBT and the P3HT matrix. Based on these findings we propose general guidelines for the design of next generation functional additives to be used in organic photovoltaics.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	37-47
Number of pages	11
Journal	Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
Volume	120
Issue number	PART A
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2013.08.007
State	Published - 2014
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was partly supported by Fondazione Cariplo through the project INDIXI (Grant no. Ref.2011/0368 ). P.E.K. acknowledges the financial support of an Intra European Marie Curie Fellowship ( FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IEF project DELUMOPV) G.T. and G.C. acknowledge Fondazione Cariplo (projects 2009-2550 and 2010-1351 ) and project 5×1000 Junior 2011 for financial support. The authors would like to cordially thank Dr. M. R. Antognazza for offering access to her cw-PIA experimental set-up.

Keywords

Additives
Organic photovoltaics
Photon harvesting
Quinoid
Ternary blend
n-Type acceptors

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Surfaces, Coatings and Films

UN SDGs

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

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10.1016/j.solmat.2013.08.007

Cite this

Kan, Z., Colella, L., Canesi, E. V., Lerario, G., Kumar, R. S. S., Bonometti, V., Mussini, P. R., Cavallo, G., Terraneo, G., Pattanasattayavong, P., Anthopoulos, T. D., Bertarelli, C., & Keivanidis, P. E. (2014). Triple bulk heterojunctions as means for recovering the microstructure of photoactive layers in organic solar cell devices. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 120(PART A), 37-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2013.08.007

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title = "Triple bulk heterojunctions as means for recovering the microstructure of photoactive layers in organic solar cell devices",

abstract = "Herein we present a methodology for improving the power conversion efficiency of organic solar cells made by photoactive layers of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) of non-optimized microstructure. In our study we achieve a 47% improvement in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the device by utilizing a thiophene-based quinoid (QBT) moiety as the third component in the P3HT:PCBM:QBT photoactive layers. Based on a set of independent characterization experiments we address the QBT composition dependent photophysical, electrical, thermal, structural and morphology-related properties of the ternary photovoltaic P3HT:PCBM:QBT system for elucidating the origin of the PCE improvement. In small amounts (0.3-0.6 wt%), QBT serves as a nucleation agent, it enlarges the size of the P3HT crystallites by 15% and it increases the fraction of well-ordered P3HT chains in the P3HT:PCBM:QBT layer. The improved microstructure of the photoactive layer in combination with the QBT-assisted photo-induced hole transfer step from PCBM to P3HT, lead to an increase of the charge photogeneration yield in the P3HT:PCBM:QBT triple bulk heterojunction. The relatively small optical gap of QBT facilitates a resonant energy transfer step from the photoexcited PCBM to the QBT followed by a charge transfer process between QBT and the P3HT matrix. Based on these findings we propose general guidelines for the design of next generation functional additives to be used in organic photovoltaics.",

keywords = "Additives, Organic photovoltaics, Photon harvesting, Quinoid, Ternary blend, n-Type acceptors",

author = "Zhipeng Kan and Letizia Colella and Canesi, {Eleonora V.} and Giovanni Lerario and Kumar, {R. Sai Santosh} and Valentina Bonometti and Mussini, {Patrizia R.} and Gabriella Cavallo and Giancarlo Terraneo and Pichaya Pattanasattayavong and Anthopoulos, {Thomas D.} and Chiara Bertarelli and Keivanidis, {Panagiotis E.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was partly supported by Fondazione Cariplo through the project INDIXI (Grant no. Ref.2011/0368 ). P.E.K. acknowledges the financial support of an Intra European Marie Curie Fellowship ( FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IEF project DELUMOPV) G.T. and G.C. acknowledge Fondazione Cariplo (projects 2009-2550 and 2010-1351 ) and project 5×1000 Junior 2011 for financial support. The authors would like to cordially thank Dr. M. R. Antognazza for offering access to her cw-PIA experimental set-up. ",

year = "2014",

doi = "10.1016/j.solmat.2013.08.007",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "120",

pages = "37--47",

journal = "Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells",

issn = "0927-0248",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

number = "PART A",

}

Kan, Z, Colella, L, Canesi, EV, Lerario, G, Kumar, RSS, Bonometti, V, Mussini, PR, Cavallo, G, Terraneo, G, Pattanasattayavong, P, Anthopoulos, TD, Bertarelli, C & Keivanidis, PE 2014, 'Triple bulk heterojunctions as means for recovering the microstructure of photoactive layers in organic solar cell devices', Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, vol. 120, no. PART A, pp. 37-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2013.08.007

TY - JOUR

T1 - Triple bulk heterojunctions as means for recovering the microstructure of photoactive layers in organic solar cell devices

AU - Kan, Zhipeng

AU - Colella, Letizia

AU - Canesi, Eleonora V.

AU - Lerario, Giovanni

AU - Kumar, R. Sai Santosh

AU - Bonometti, Valentina

AU - Mussini, Patrizia R.

AU - Cavallo, Gabriella

AU - Terraneo, Giancarlo

AU - Pattanasattayavong, Pichaya

AU - Anthopoulos, Thomas D.

AU - Bertarelli, Chiara

AU - Keivanidis, Panagiotis E.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was partly supported by Fondazione Cariplo through the project INDIXI (Grant no. Ref.2011/0368 ). P.E.K. acknowledges the financial support of an Intra European Marie Curie Fellowship ( FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IEF project DELUMOPV) G.T. and G.C. acknowledge Fondazione Cariplo (projects 2009-2550 and 2010-1351 ) and project 5×1000 Junior 2011 for financial support. The authors would like to cordially thank Dr. M. R. Antognazza for offering access to her cw-PIA experimental set-up.

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - Herein we present a methodology for improving the power conversion efficiency of organic solar cells made by photoactive layers of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) of non-optimized microstructure. In our study we achieve a 47% improvement in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the device by utilizing a thiophene-based quinoid (QBT) moiety as the third component in the P3HT:PCBM:QBT photoactive layers. Based on a set of independent characterization experiments we address the QBT composition dependent photophysical, electrical, thermal, structural and morphology-related properties of the ternary photovoltaic P3HT:PCBM:QBT system for elucidating the origin of the PCE improvement. In small amounts (0.3-0.6 wt%), QBT serves as a nucleation agent, it enlarges the size of the P3HT crystallites by 15% and it increases the fraction of well-ordered P3HT chains in the P3HT:PCBM:QBT layer. The improved microstructure of the photoactive layer in combination with the QBT-assisted photo-induced hole transfer step from PCBM to P3HT, lead to an increase of the charge photogeneration yield in the P3HT:PCBM:QBT triple bulk heterojunction. The relatively small optical gap of QBT facilitates a resonant energy transfer step from the photoexcited PCBM to the QBT followed by a charge transfer process between QBT and the P3HT matrix. Based on these findings we propose general guidelines for the design of next generation functional additives to be used in organic photovoltaics.

AB - Herein we present a methodology for improving the power conversion efficiency of organic solar cells made by photoactive layers of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) of non-optimized microstructure. In our study we achieve a 47% improvement in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the device by utilizing a thiophene-based quinoid (QBT) moiety as the third component in the P3HT:PCBM:QBT photoactive layers. Based on a set of independent characterization experiments we address the QBT composition dependent photophysical, electrical, thermal, structural and morphology-related properties of the ternary photovoltaic P3HT:PCBM:QBT system for elucidating the origin of the PCE improvement. In small amounts (0.3-0.6 wt%), QBT serves as a nucleation agent, it enlarges the size of the P3HT crystallites by 15% and it increases the fraction of well-ordered P3HT chains in the P3HT:PCBM:QBT layer. The improved microstructure of the photoactive layer in combination with the QBT-assisted photo-induced hole transfer step from PCBM to P3HT, lead to an increase of the charge photogeneration yield in the P3HT:PCBM:QBT triple bulk heterojunction. The relatively small optical gap of QBT facilitates a resonant energy transfer step from the photoexcited PCBM to the QBT followed by a charge transfer process between QBT and the P3HT matrix. Based on these findings we propose general guidelines for the design of next generation functional additives to be used in organic photovoltaics.

KW - Additives

KW - Organic photovoltaics

KW - Photon harvesting

KW - Quinoid

KW - Ternary blend

KW - n-Type acceptors

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84888325458&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.solmat.2013.08.007

DO - 10.1016/j.solmat.2013.08.007

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84888325458

SN - 0927-0248

VL - 120

SP - 37

EP - 47

JO - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

JF - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

IS - PART A

ER -

Triple bulk heterojunctions as means for recovering the microstructure of photoactive layers in organic solar cell devices

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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