A solution processible organic conjugated molecule 2-[2,6-bis-(2-{4-[2-(4-diphenylaminophenyl)vinyl]phenyl}vinyl)pyran-4-ylidene]malononitrile (TPA−DCM−TPA) was designed and synthesized for application in
organic solar cells (OSCs). The molecule consists of two electron-rich triphenylamine moieties and one electron-deficient 2-pyran-4-ylidenemalononitrile unit linked with conjugated bridges. The optical and electrochemical
properties, the light-induced electron spin resonance (LESR), and the electronic ground state configuration of
the compound were characterized. TPA−DCM−TPA film showed a broad absorption band covering from
350 to 650 nm. The bulk-heterojunction OSCs with the device structure of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/TPA−DCM−TPA:PCBM/LiF/Al or Ba/Al were fabricated, in which TPA−DCM−TPA was used as donor and PCBM as
acceptor material. The open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, and power-conversion efficiency of the
optimized OSC with Ba/Al as cathode, TPA−DCM−TPA:PCBM = 1:3 (w/w), and ca. 85 nm thickness of
the active layer reached 0.9 V, 2.14 mA/cm2, and 0.79%, respectively, under the illumination of AM1.5, 100
mW/cm2. The results indicate that TPA−DCM−TPA is a promising photovoltaic organic molecule.
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