Real-Time Investigation of Intercalation and Structure Evolution in Printed Polymer:Fullerene Bulk Heterojunction Thin Films

Kassar T, Güldal NS, Berlinghof M, Ameri T, Kratzer A, Schroeder BC, Li Destri G, Hirsch A, Heeney M, Mcculloch I, Brabec C, Unruh T (2016)

Publication Language: English

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Journal article, Original article

Publication year: 2016

Journal

Advanced Energy Materials Wiley

Book Volume: 6

Article Number: 1502025

Journal Issue: 5

DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201502025

Abstract

The complex intermixing morphology is critical for the performance of the nanostructured polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. Here, time resolved in situ grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering are used to track the structure formation of BHJ thin films formed from the donor polymer poly(2,5-bis(3-hexadecylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene) with different fullerene derivative acceptors. The formation of stable bimolecular crystals through the intercalation of fullerene molecules between the side chains of polymer crystallites is investigated. Such systems exhibit more efficient exciton dissociation but lower photo-conductance and faster decay of charges. On the basis of the experimental observations, intercalation obviously takes place before or with the formation of the crystalline polymer domains. It results in more stable structures whose volume remains constant upon further drying. Three distinct periods of drying are observed and the formation of unidimensional fullerene channels along the π-stacking direction of polymer crystallites is confirmed.

Authors with CRIS profile

Thaer Kassar Professur für Nanomaterialcharakterisierung (Streumethoden) Nusret Sena Güldal Institute Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET) Marvin Berlinghof Lehrstuhl für Kristallographie und Strukturphysik Tayebeh Ameri Institute Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET) Andreas Kratzer Lehrstuhl für Organische Chemie II Andreas Hirsch Lehrstuhl für Organische Chemie II Christoph Brabec Institute Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET) Tobias Unruh Professur für Nanomaterialcharakterisierung (Streumethoden)

Additional Organisation(s)

Exzellenz-Cluster Engineering of Advanced Materials

Involved external institutions

Imperial College London / The Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine GB United Kingdom (GB)

How to cite

APA:

Kassar, T., Güldal, N.S., Berlinghof, M., Ameri, T., Kratzer, A., Schroeder, B.C.,... Unruh, T. (2016). Real-Time Investigation of Intercalation and Structure Evolution in Printed Polymer:Fullerene Bulk Heterojunction Thin Films. Advanced Energy Materials, 6(5). https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201502025

MLA:

Kassar, Thaer, et al. "Real-Time Investigation of Intercalation and Structure Evolution in Printed Polymer:Fullerene Bulk Heterojunction Thin Films." Advanced Energy Materials 6.5 (2016).

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