PEDOT:PSS-Free Polymer Non-Fullerene Polymer Solar Cells with Efficiency up to 18.60% Employing a Binary-Solvent-Chlorinated ITO Anode

Sun R, Wang T, Wu Y, Zhang M, Ma Y, Xiao Z, Lu G, Ding L, Zheng Q, Brabec C, Li Y, Min J (2021)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Advanced Functional Materials Wiley-VCH Verlag

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202106846

Abstract

Despite the tremendous development of different high-performing photovoltaic systems in non-fullerene polymer solar cells (PSCs), improving their performance is still highly demanding. Herein, an effective and compatible strategy, i.e., binary-solvent-chlorinated indium tin oxide (ITO) anode, is presented to improve the device performance of the state-of-the-art photoactive systems. Although both ODCB (1,2-dichlorobenzene) solvent- and ODCB:H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) co-solvent-chlorinated ITO (ITO-Cl-ODCB and ITO-Cl-ODCB:H2O2) show similar optical transmittance, electrical conductivities, and work function values, ITO-Cl-ODCB:H2O2 exhibits higher Cl surface coverage and more suitable surface free energy close to the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)-buffered ITO anode (ITO/PEDOT:PSS). As a direct consequence, the performance of ITO-Cl-ODCB-based PBDB-T-2F:BTP-eC9:PC71BM PSCs is comparable as the bare ITO-based devices. In contrast, the performance of ITO-Cl-ODCB:H2O2-based devices with both small and the scaled-up areas significantly surpass the ITO/PEDOT:PSS-based devices. Furthermore, detailed experimental studies are conducted linking optical property, blend morphology, and physical dynamics to find the reasons for the performance difference. By applying the ITO-Cl-ODCB:H2O2 anode to six other photovoltaic systems, the device efficiencies are enhanced by 3.6–6.2% relative to those of the ITO/PEDOT:PSS-based control devices, which validates its great application potential of co-solvent-modified ITO anode employed into PEDOT:PSS-free PSCs.

Authors with CRIS profile

Christoph Brabec Institute Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET)

Involved external institutions

Wuhan University CN China (CN) Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) CN China (CN) Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) / 中国科学院 CN China (CN) National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST) / 国家纳米科学中心 CN China (CN)

How to cite

APA:

Sun, R., Wang, T., Wu, Y., Zhang, M., Ma, Y., Xiao, Z.,... Min, J. (2021). PEDOT:PSS-Free Polymer Non-Fullerene Polymer Solar Cells with Efficiency up to 18.60% Employing a Binary-Solvent-Chlorinated ITO Anode. Advanced Functional Materials. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202106846

MLA:

Sun, Rui, et al. "PEDOT:PSS-Free Polymer Non-Fullerene Polymer Solar Cells with Efficiency up to 18.60% Employing a Binary-Solvent-Chlorinated ITO Anode." Advanced Functional Materials (2021).

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