Alkyl Chain Engineering of Solution-Processable Star-Shaped Molecules for High-Performance Organic Solar Cells

Min J, Luponosov YN, Gerl A, Polinskaya MS, Peregudova SM, Dmitryakov PV, Bakirov AV, Shcherbina MA, Chvalun SN, Grigorian S, Kaush-Busies N, Ponomarenko SA, Ameri T, Brabec C (2014)

Publication Language: English

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2014

Journal

Advanced Energy Materials Wiley

Book Volume: 4

Pages Range: 1301234

Volume: 4

Issue: 5

Journal Issue: 5

URI: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aenm.201301234/abstract

DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201301234

Abstract

The impact of alkyl side-chain substituents on conjugated polymers on the photovoltaic properties of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells has been studied extensively, but their impact on small molecules has not received adequate attention. To reveal the effect of side chains, a series of star-shaped molecules based on a triphenylamine (TPA) core, bithiophene, and dicyanovinyl units derivatized with various alkyl end-capping groups of methyl, ethyl, hexyl and dodecyl is synthesiyed and studied to comprehensively investigate structure-properties relationships. UV-vis absorption and cyclic voltammetry data show that variations of alkyl chain length have little infl uence on the absorption and highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) levels. However, these seemingly negligible changes have a pronounced impact on the morphology of BHJ thin films as well as their charge carrier separation and transportation, which in turn influences the photovoltaic properties of these small-molecule-based BHJ devices. Solution-processed organic solar cells (OSCs) based on the small molecule with the shortest methyl end groups exhibit high short circuit current (Jsc) and fill factor (FF), with an efficiency as high as 4.76\% without any post-treatments; these are among the highest reported for solution-processed OSCs based on star-shaped molecules.

Authors with CRIS profile

Jie Min Institute Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET) Tayebeh Ameri Institute Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET) Christoph Brabec Institute Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET)

Additional Organisation(s)

Exzellenz-Cluster Engineering of Advanced Materials

Involved external institutions

Russian Academy of Sciences / Росси́йская акаде́мия нау́к (RAS) RU Russian Federation (RU) Universität Siegen DE Germany (DE) Heraeus Precious Metals GmbH & Co. KG DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Min, J., Luponosov, Y.N., Gerl, A., Polinskaya, M.S., Peregudova, S.M., Dmitryakov, P.V.,... Brabec, C. (2014). Alkyl Chain Engineering of Solution-Processable Star-Shaped Molecules for High-Performance Organic Solar Cells. Advanced Energy Materials, 4(5), 1301234. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201301234

MLA:

Min, Jie, et al. "Alkyl Chain Engineering of Solution-Processable Star-Shaped Molecules for High-Performance Organic Solar Cells." Advanced Energy Materials 4.5 (2014): 1301234.

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