Search Results (19)

The layer-by-layer (LBL) fabrication method allows for controlled microstructure morphology and vertical component distribution, and also offers a reproducible and efficient technique for fabricating large-scale organic solar cells (OSCs). In this study, the polymers D18 and PYIT-OD are employed to fabricate all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) using the LBL method. Morphological studies reveal that the use of additives optimizes the microstructure of the active layer, enhancing the cells’ crystallinity and charge transport capability. The optimized device with 2% CN additive significantly reduces bimolecular recombination and trap-assisted recombination. All-PSCs fabricated by the LBL method based on D18/PYIT-OD deliver a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 15.07%. Our study demonstrates the great potential of additive engineering via the LBL fabrication method in regulating the microstructure of active layers, suppressing charge recombination, and enhancing the photovoltaic performance of devices. Full article

In this work, pseudo-bilayer planar heterojunction (PPHJ) all-polymer solar cells (APSCs) were constructed on the basis of the commonly used PY-IT and PM6 as the acceptor and donor, respectively. A nonfullerene small molecular acceptor (NF-SMA) BTP-eC9 was incorporated into the PY-IT layer as the solid additive in consideration of its similar building block to PY-IT. BTP-eC9 can serve as a photon capture reinforcer and morphology-regulating agent to realize more adequate photon capture, as well as a more orderly molecular arrangement for effective carrier transport. By incorporating 2 wt% BTP-eC9, the efficiency of PM6/PY-IT-based PPHJ-APSCs was boosted from 15.11% to 16.47%, accompanied by a synergistically enhanced short circuit current density (J_SC, 23.36 vs. 24.08 mA cm⁻²) and fill factor (FF, 68.83% vs. 72.76%). In another all-polymer system, based on PBQx-TCl/PY-DT as the active layers, the efficiency could be boosted from 17.51% to 18.07%, enabled by the addition of 2 wt% L8-BO, which further verified the effectiveness of using an NF-SMA as a solid additive. This work demonstrates that incorporating an NF-SMA as a solid additive holds great potential for driving the development of PPHJ-APSCs. Full article

This work inspects the utilization of all-polymer solar cells (APSCs) in indoor applications under LED illumination, with a focus on boosting efficiency through simulation-based design. The study employs a SCAPS TCAD device simulator to investigate the performance of APSCs under white LED illumination at 1000 lux, with a power density of 0.305 mW/cm². Initially, the simulator is validated against experimental results obtained from a fabricated cell utilizing CD1:PBN-21 as an absorber blend and PEDOT:PSS as a hole transportation layer (HTL), where the initial measured efficiency is 16.75%. The simulation study includes an examination of both inverted and conventional cell structures. In the conventional structure, where no electron transportation layer (ETL) is present, various materials are evaluated for their suitability as the HTL. NiO emerges as the most promising HTL material, demonstrating the potential to achieve an efficiency exceeding 27%. Conversely, in the inverted configuration without an HTL, the study explores different ETL materials to engineer the band alignment at the interface. Among the materials investigated, ZnS emerges as the optimal choice, recording an efficiency of approximately 33%. In order to reveal the efficiency limitations of these devices, the interface and bulk defects are concurrently investigated. The findings of this study underscore the significance of careful material selection and structural design in optimizing the performance of APSCs for indoor applications. Full article

Based on experimental results, this theoretical study presents a new approach for investigating polymers’ solar cells. P-type PZT:C1 and N-type PBDB:T were used to construct a blend for use as a photoactive layer for the proposed all-polymer solar cell. Initially, an architecture of an ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PBDB:T/PZT:C1/PFN-Br/Ag all-polymer solar device calibrated with experimental results achieved a PCE of 14.91%. A novel inverted architecture of the same solar device, proposed for the first time in this paper, achieved a superior PCE of 19.92%. Furthermore, the optimization of the doping of the transport layers is proposed in this paper. Moreover, the defect density and the thickness of the polymer are studied, and a PCE of 22.67% was achieved by the optimized cell, which is one of the highest PCEs of polymer solar devices. Finally, the optimized polymer solar cell showed good stability amidst temperature variations. This theoretical study sheds light on the inverted structure of all-polymer solar devices. Full article

Organic solar cells (OSCs) have gained increasing attention. Among the various directions in OSCs, all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) have emerged as a highly promising and currently active research area due to their excellent film formation properties, mechanical properties, and thermal stabilities. However, most of the high-efficiency all-PSCs are processed from chloroform with an active layer thickness of ~100 nm. In order to meet the requirements for industrialization, a thicker active layer processed from low-vapor pressure solvents (preferentially a hydrocarbon solvent) is strongly desired. Herein, we employ toluene (a hydrocarbon solvent with a much higher boiling point than chloroform) and a method known as sequential processing (SqP) to mitigate the rapid decline in efficiency with increasing film thickness. We show that SqP enables a more favorable vertical phase segregation that leads to less trap-assisted recombination and enhanced charge extraction and lifetime than blend-cast devices at higher film thicknesses. Full article

The utilization of indoor photovoltaics makes it feasible to harvest energy from artificial light sources. Although single-junction indoor photovoltaics have demonstrated exceptional efficacy when using LED lighting, there is still a need for more comprehensive testing of tandem structures. Herein, the first systematic TCAD simulation study on the potential for tandem all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) for indoor applications is provided. The presented all-PSCs are based on experimental work in which the top wide bandgap subcell comprises a polymer blend PM7:PIDT, while the bottom narrow bandgap subcell has a polymer blend PM6:PY-IT. Standalone and tandem cells are simulated under AM1.5G solar radiation, and the simulation results are compared with measurements to calibrate the physical models and material parameters revealing PCE values of 10.11%, 16.50%, and 17.58% for the front, rear, and tandem cells, respectively. Next, we assessed the performance characteristics of the three cells under a white LED environment for different color temperatures and light intensities. The results showed a superior performance of the front cell, while a deterioration in the performance was observed for the tandem cell, reflecting in a lower PCE of 16.22% at a color temperature of 2900 K. Thus, an optimized tandem for outdoor applications was not suitable for indoor conditions. In order to alleviate this issue, we propose designing the tandem for indoor lightening by an appropriate choice of thicknesses of the top and bottom absorber layers in order to achieve the current matching point. Reducing the top absorber thickness while slightly increasing the bottom thickness resulted in a higher PCE of 27.80% at 2900 K. Full article

Tandem solar cells (TSCs) have attracted prodigious attention for their high efficiency, which can surmount the Shockley–Queisser limit for single-junction solar cells. Flexible TSCs are lightweight and cost-effective, and are considered a promising approach for a wide range of applications. In this paper, a numerical model, based on TCAD simulation, is presented to assess the performance of a novel two-terminal (2T) all-polymer/CIGS TSC. To confirm the model, the obtained simulation results were compared with standalone fabricated all-polymer and CIGS single solar cells. Common properties of the polymer and CIGS complementary candidates are their non-toxicity and flexibility. The initial top all-polymer solar cell had a photoactive blend layer (PM7:PIDT), the optical bandgap of which was 1.76 eV, and the initial bottom cell had a photoactive CIGS layer, with a bandgap of 1.15 eV. The simulation was then carried out on the initially connected cells, revealing a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.77%. Next, some optimization techniques were applied to enhance the tandem performance. Upon treating the band alignment, the PCE became 18.57%, while the optimization of polymer and CIGS thicknesses showed the best performance, reflected by a PCE of 22.73%. Moreover, it was found that the condition of current matching did not necessarily meet the maximum PCE condition, signifying the essential role of full optoelectronic simulations. All TCAD simulations were performed via an Atlas device simulator, where the light illumination was AM1.5G. The current study can offer design strategies and effective suggestions for flexible thin-film TSCs for potential applications in wearable electronics. Full article

Organic solar cells (OSCs) demonstrating high power conversion efficiencies have been mostly fabricated using halogenated solvents, which are highly toxic and harmful to humans and the environment. Recently, non-halogenated solvents have emerged as a potential alternative. However, there has been limited success in attaining an optimal morphology when non-halogenated solvents (typically o-xylene (XY)) were used. To address this issue, we studied the dependence of the photovoltaic properties of all-polymer solar cells (APSCs) on various high-boiling-point non-halogenated additives. We synthesized PTB7-Th and PNDI2HD-T polymers that are soluble in XY and fabricated PTB7-Th:PNDI2HD-T-based APSCs using XY with five additives: 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene (TMB), indane (IN), tetralin (TN), diphenyl ether (DPE), and dibenzyl ether (DBE). The photovoltaic performance was determined in the following order: XY + IN < XY + TMB < XY + DBE ≤ XY only < XY + DPE < XY + TN. Interestingly, all APSCs processed with an XY solvent system had better photovoltaic properties than APSCs processed with chloroform solution containing 1,8-diiodooctane (CF + DIO). The key reasons for these differences were unraveled using transient photovoltage and two-dimensional grazing incidence X-ray diffraction experiments. The charge lifetimes of APSCs based on XY + TN and XY + DPE were the longest, and their long lifetime was strongly associated with the polymer blend film morphology; the polymer domain sizes were in the nanoscale range, and the blend film surfaces were smoother, as the PTB7-Th polymer domains assumed an untangled, evenly distributed, and internetworked morphology. Our results demonstrate that the use of an additive with an optimal boiling point facilitates the development of polymer blends with a favorable morphology and can contribute to the widespread use of eco-friendly APSCs. Full article

In this study, we present some design suggestions for all-polymer solar cells by utilizing device simulation. The polymer solar cell under investigation is formed by a photoactive film of a blend comprising PBDB-T as a polymer donor and PZT as a polymerized small molecule acceptor. The initial cell is based on a fabricated cell whose structure is ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PBDB-T:PZT/PFN-Br/Ag, which has a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of about 14.9%. A calibration procedure is then performed by comparing the simulation results with experimental data to confirm the simulation models, and the material parameters, implemented in the SCAPS (Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator) simulator. To boost the open circuit voltage, we investigate a group of hole transport layer (HTL) materials. An HTL of CuI or P3HT, that may replace the PEDOT:PSS, results in a PCE of higher than 20%. However, this enhanced efficiency results in a minor S-shape curve in the current density-voltage (J-V) characteristic. So, to suppress the possibility of the appearance of an S-curve, we propose a double HTL structure, for which the simulation shows a higher PCE with a suppressed kink phenomenon due to the proper band alignment. Moreover, the designed cell is investigated when subjected to a low light intensity, and the cell shows a good performance, signifying the cell’s suitability for indoor applications. The results of this simulation study can add to the potential development of highly efficient all-polymer solar cells. Full article

All-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) are organic solar cells in which both the electron donor and the acceptor are polymers and are considered more promising in large-scale production. Thanks to the polymerizing small molecule acceptor strategy, the power conversion efficiency of all-PSCs has ushered in a leap in recent years. However, due to the electrical properties of polymerized small-molecule acceptors (PSMAs), the FF of the devices is generally not high. The typical electron transport material widely used in these devices is PNDIT-F3N, and it is a common strategy to improve the device fill factor (FF) through interface engineering. This work improves the efficiency of all-polymer solar cells through interfacial layer engineering. Using PDINN as the electron transport layer, we boost the FF of the devices from 69.21% to 72.05% and the power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 15.47% to 16.41%. This is the highest efficiency for a PY-IT-based binary all-polymer solar cell. This improvement is demonstrated in different all-polymer material systems. Full article

All-polymer solar cells (All-PSCs), whose electron donor and acceptors are both polymeric materials, have attracted great research attention in the past few years. However, most all-PSC devices with top-of-the-line efficiencies are processed from chloroform. In this work, we apply the sequential processing (SqP) method to fabricate All-PSCs from an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent, toluene, and obtain efficiencies up to 17.0%. By conducting a series of characterizations on our films and devices, we demonstrate that the preparation of SqP devices using toluene can effectively reduce carrier recombination, enhance carrier mobility and promote the fill factor of the device. Full article

In this work, we apply the sequential processing (SqP) method to address the relatively low electron mobility in recent all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) based on the polymerized small-molecule acceptor (PSMA). Compared to the blend-casting (BC) method, all-PSCs composed of PM6/PY-IT via the SqP method show boosted electron mobility and a more balanced charge carrier transport, which increases the FF of the SqP device and compensates for the short-circuit current loss, rendering comparable overall performance with the BC device. Through film-depth-dependent light absorption spectroscopy, we analyze the sub-layer absorption and exciton generation rate in the vertical direction of the device, and discuss the effect of the increased electron mobility on device performance, accordingly. Full article

We report the phase behavior of amorphous/semicrystalline conjugated polymer blends composed of low bandgap poly[2,6-(4,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-4H-cyclopenta [2,1-b;3,4-b′]dithiophene) -alt-4,7(2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)] (PCPDTBT) and poly{(N,N′-bis(2-octyldodecyl)naphthalene -1,4,5,8-bis(dicarboximide)-2,6-diyl)-alt-5,5′-(2,2′-bithiophene)} (P(NDI2OD-T2)). As usual in polymer blends, these two polymers are immiscible because ΔS_m ≈ 0 and ΔH_m > 0, leading to ΔG_m > 0, in which ΔS_m, ΔH_m, and ΔG_m are the entropy, enthalpy, and Gibbs free energy of mixing, respectively. Specifically, the Flory–Huggins interaction parameter (χ) for the PCPDTBT /P(NDI2OD-T2) blend was estimated to be 1.26 at 298.15 K, indicating that the blend was immiscible. When thermally analyzed, the melting and crystallization point depression was observed with increasing PCPDTBT amounts in the blends. In the same vein, the X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed that the π-π interactions in P(NDI2OD-T2) lamellae were diminished if PCPDTBT was incorporated into the blends. Finally, the correlation of the solid-liquid phase transition and structural information for the blend system may provide insight for understanding other amorphous/semicrystalline conjugated polymers used as active layers in all-polymer solar cells, although the specific morphology of a film is largely affected by nonequilibrium kinetics. Full article

Developing cheap, clean and atomic-efficient synthetic methodologies for conjugated polymers are always critical for the field of organic electronics. Herein, classic Ullmann coupling polymerization is developed to synthesize a series of Acceptor-Acceptor (A-A) type homopolymers with microwave-assistance, which are supported by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF), elemental analysis (EA) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The physicochemical properties of these polymers are studied by UV-vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and density functional theory (DFT) calculation. Furthermore, these A-A homopolymers are used as acceptors for all-polymer solar cells (All-PSCs), affording a promising efficiency of 3.08%, which is the highest value for A-A-homopolymer-based organic solar cells. Full article

The morphology of the active layer plays a crucial role in determining device performance and stability for organic solar cells. All-polymer solar cells (All-PSCs), showing robust and stable morphologies, have been proven to give better thermal stability than their fullerene counterparts. However, outstanding thermal stability is not always the case for polymer blends, and the limiting factors responsible for the poor thermal stability in some All-PSCs, and how to obtain higher efficiency without losing stability, still remain unclear. By studying the morphology of poly [2,3-bis (3-octyloxyphenyl) quinoxaline-5,8-diyl-alt-thiophene-2,5-diyl](TQ1)/poly[4,8-bis[5-(2-ethylhexyl)-2-thienyl]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-alt-(4-(2-ethylhexyl)-3-fluorothieno[3,4-b]thiophene-)-2-carboxylate-2-6-diyl]] (PCE10)/PNDI-T10 blend systems, we found that the rearranged molecular packing structure and phase separation were mainly responsible for the poor thermal stability in devices containing PCE10. The TQ1/PNDI-T10 devices exhibited an improved PCE with a decreased π–π stacking distance after thermal annealing; PCE10/PNDI-T10 devices showed a better pristine PCE, however, thermal annealing induced the increased π–π stacking distance and thus inferior hole conductivity, leading to a decreased PCE. Thus, a maximum PCE could be achieved in a TQ1/PCE10/PNDI-T10 (1/1/1) ternary system after thermal annealing resulting from their favorable molecular interaction and the trade-off of molecular packing structure variations between TQ1 and PCE10. This indicates that a route to efficient and thermal stable All-PSCs can be achieved in a ternary blend by using material with excellent pristine efficiency, combined with another material showing improved efficiency under thermal annealing. Full article