Correlation of Phase Behavior and Charge Transport in Conjugated Polymer/Fullerene Blends

Kim, Jung Yong; Frisbie, C. Daniel

doi:10.1021/jp8061493

Cited by 160 publications

(234 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…From these studies, we estimate that PCBM has a concentration greater than 40% wt in P3HT, which is consistent with previously reported estimates for bulk samples. [ 22 ] We believe that PCBM is dispersed as both molecular species within the disordered phase of P3HT (as shown below) and as aggregated PCBM domains. The observation of a fast interdiffusion coeffi cient indicates that the BHJ morphology formed after deposition will continue to change even under mild heating thus further complicating the characterization of its morphology.…”

Section: Interdiffusion Within P3ht/pcbm Bilayersmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…We are not aware of any reports of the percentage of crystallinity for thin fi lms of regioregular P3HT, but the results here suggest that the total crystallinity in the P3HT fi lm is low based upon simple consideration of the volume change during the mixing process. [ 22 ] As depicted in Figure 5 , the initial BHJ comprises a distribution of P3HT crystallites, PCBM aggregates, and a dispersion of PCBM (both molecular and small aggregates) in disordered P3HT. Upon annealing, our studies suggest that the size of the P3HT crystallites increases mainly within the fi rst 5 min of annealing regardless of the local concentration of PCBM (at approximately a 1:0.8 wt ratio) while the PCBM aggregates remain dispersed in the disordered regions of P3HT.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Interdiffusion of PCBM and P3HT Reveals Miscibility in a Photovoltaically Active Blend

Treat

Brady

Smith

et al. 2010

Advanced Energy Materials

602

663

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Developing a better understanding of the evolution of morphology in plastic solar cells is the key to designing new materials and structures that achieve photoconversion efficiencies greater than 10%. In the most extensively characterized system, the poly(3‐hexyl thiophene) (P3HT):[6,6]‐phenyl‐C61‐butyric‐acid‐methyl‐ester (PCBM) bulk heterojunction, the origins and evolution of the blend morphology during processes such as thermal annealing are not well understood. In this work, we use a model system, a bilayer of P3HT and PCBM, to develop a more complete understanding of the miscibility and diffusion of PCBM within P3HT during thermal annealing. We find that PCBM aggregates and/or molecular species are miscible and mobile in disordered P3HT, without disrupting the ordered lamellar stacking of P3HT chains. The fast diffusion of PCBM into the amorphous regions of P3HT suggests the favorability of mixing in this system, opposing the belief that phase‐pure domains form in BHJs due to immiscibility of these two components.

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Section: Interdiffusion Within P3ht/pcbm Bilayersmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interdiffusion of PCBM and P3HT Reveals Miscibility in a Photovoltaically Active Blend

Treat

Brady

Smith

et al. 2010

Advanced Energy Materials

602

663

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show abstract

“…[14][15][16] However, phase behavior at molecular levels, including spatial arrangement of amorphous polymeric chain/fullerene in blends, has still been far from a complete understanding due to its complex nature. In 2008, two research groups reported the binary phase diagrams of semicrystalline poly(3-hexyl thiophene) (P3HT)/ PCBM blends 17 and amorphous poly(phenylene vinylene) (PPV) derivative/PCBM. 18 Recently, the molecular miscibility of polymer/fullerene blends and the extent of phase separation were investigated at the molecular level.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This new finding recalls that poly(3-alkylthiophene)s were more organized when doped with iodine, 35 although the opposite behavior, i.e., destruction of ordering or decrease of crystallinity, has generally been expected when two materials are blended. 17,31 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Charge transport in amorphous low bandgap conjugated polymer/fullerene films

Kim¹,

Cho²,

Noh³

et al. 2012

Journal of Applied Physics

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The structural and charge transport properties of a low bandgap copolymer poly(3-hexylthiophene-alt-6,7-dimethyl-4,9-bis-(4-hexylthien-2yl)-[1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4-g]quinoxaline) (P(3HT-MeTDQ)) and its blend with [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) are investigated. Thermal analysis, X-ray scattering diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of P(3HT-MeTDQ) reveal that the polymer is amorphous in solid state. As the hole mobility of P(3HT-MeTDQ) was measured by the time-of-flight photoconductivity method, the mobility was 3.35 × 10−4 cm2/V s, which is very comparable to that of semicrystalline poly(3-hexyl thiophene). When the mobility of amorphous P(3HT-MeTDQ) was analyzed according to the Gaussian disorder model, the polymer has the energetic and positional disorders with the values of σ = 62 meV and Σ = 1.7, respectively, indicating that the polymer has a relatively narrow Gaussian distribution of transport states. Interestingly, when P(3HT-MeTDQ) is blended with PCBM, the amorphous P(3HT-MeTDQ) becomes partially ordered, as evidenced by observation of two discernible XRD peaks at 2θ = 5° (d = 17.7 Å) and 25.5° (d = 3.5 Å) corresponding to the interchain distance and π-stacking distance, respectively. The bicontinuous network morphology was identified at the blend with 60 wt. % PCBM by TEM, at which the charge carrier transport changes from hole-only to ambipolar.

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“…Two different two-component nonequilibrium phase diagrams have been made 523 for P3HT:PCBM [121,122]. Figure 9 shows the expected phase behavior of P3HT: 524 PCBM in a melt or solidifying melt [121].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

P3HT-Based Solar Cells: Structural Properties and Photovoltaic Performance

Moulé

Neher

Turner

2014

P3HT Revisited – From Molecular Scale to Solar Cell Devices

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Each year we are bombarded with B.Sc. and Ph.D. applications from 8 students that want to improve the world. They have learned that their future depends 9 on changing the type of fuel we use and that solar energy is our future. The hope and 10 energy of these young people will transform future energy technologies, but it will 11 not happen quickly. Organic photovoltaic devices are easy to draw AU1, but the mate-12 rials, processing steps, and ways of measuring the properties of the materials are 13 very complicated. It is not trivial to make a systematic measurement that will 14 change the way other research groups think or practice. In approaching this chapter, 15 we thought about what a new researcher would need to know about organic 16 photovoltaic devices and materials in order to have a good start in the subject. [1][2][3][4]. Similar 43 to the gold rush in the 1800s and the oil boom in the 1900s, intellectual property on 44 new technologies is now the boom industry for innovative people to become rich 45 and influential fast. In the twenty-first century, scientists and engineers are the 46 pioneers and our ideas are the prize. One of the most alluring energy technologies of 47 the past decade has been organic photovoltaics (OPV). This technology is alluring 48 because it could potentially reduce the cost of producing photovoltaic 49 (PV) modules and thereby make solar energy cost-competitive with fossil fuels. 50 As can be seen in Fig. 1, the allure of OPV brought thousands of scientists and 51 engineers into this new field, generating an exponential increase in scientific 52 knowledge (as measured by the number of scientific AU4 articles) in this area. The 53 sharp focus on OPV technology has led to an explosion of interest in enabling 54 technologies such as polymer synthesis, polymer physics, microstructural measure-55 ment techniques, multiscale modeling, photophysics, organic electronics, organic-56 inorganic hybrid materials, etc. All of this intense focus into one research area has 57 also created intense competition between research groups. With so many new 58 scientific articles published yearly, it is impossible to read them all, and repeat or 59 redundant articles have become unfortunately and unavoidably common. Even 60 review articles and books about OPV have proliferated, making production of an 61 original perspective difficult and a complete literature review impractical. We 62 apologize in advance if any important work is not cited here. 63Under this backdrop, we have decided to produce an article that is designed to be 64 helpful to students and postdocs who are entering this field. Rather than focusing on 65 the efficiency of devices or the morphology of materials (subjects that are covered 66 very well elsewhere), we instead focus some attention on how to approach OPV 67 research from a more practical (laboratory-based) perspective. Section 1 introduces A.J. Moulé et al. 68OPV devices, modules, and scale-up. Section 2 discusses fabrication of poly-3- Device Characterist...

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Correlation of Phase Behavior and Charge Transport in Conjugated Polymer/Fullerene Blends

Cited by 160 publications

References 60 publications

Interdiffusion of PCBM and P3HT Reveals Miscibility in a Photovoltaically Active Blend

Interdiffusion of PCBM and P3HT Reveals Miscibility in a Photovoltaically Active Blend

Charge transport in amorphous low bandgap conjugated polymer/fullerene films

P3HT-Based Solar Cells: Structural Properties and Photovoltaic Performance

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