Improving the efficiency of polymer solar cells via a treatment of methanol : water on the active layers

Guo, Biao; Zhou, Wenli; Wu, Mengchun; Lv, Junjie; Cao, Yu; Li, Fenghong; Hu, Zhonghan

doi:10.1039/c6ta04026h

Cited by 24 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…Note that the devices prior to dipping have a FF and PCE of 66% and 7.19%, respectively, and that the values for active layers without solvent additives are 46% and 3.68%, respectively. Furthermore, although these results were reported elsewhere, the same active layer surface treated with a mixture of methanol and water resulted in rPSC PCE of 8.14% [52]. The effects of these solvent processes on the resulting active layer morphology are summarized in Figure 7.…”

Section: Generation Of Vertical Ed–ea Distribution In Single Activsupporting

confidence: 62%

“…Furthermore, in this study, the authors emphasize that the use of mixed solvents or high boiling point solvent additives such as 1,8-diiodoctane (DIO) can further increase the device performances and, using a combination of the three methods, they were able to fabricate regular architecture devices with PCEs up to 7.58%. Solvent-based processes are commonly associated with the difference in solubility of the polymer EDs and fullerene EAs in the solvents used for active layer deposition and post-deposition treatments such as solvent annealing or surface treatment with non solvents [ 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 ]. Here, we will compare the results from the various solvent-processes inducing changes in vertical distribution.…”

Section: Generation Of Vertical Ed–ea Distribution In Single Activmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fabrication Processes to Generate Concentration Gradients in Polymer Solar Cell Active Layers

Inaba

Vohra

2017

Materials

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Polymer solar cells (PSCs) are considered as one of the most promising low-cost alternatives for renewable energy production with devices now reaching power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) above the milestone value of 10%. These enhanced performances were achieved by developing new electron-donor (ED) and electron-acceptor (EA) materials as well as finding the adequate morphologies in either bulk heterojunction or sequentially deposited active layers. In particular, producing adequate vertical concentration gradients with higher concentrations of ED and EA close to the anode and cathode, respectively, results in an improved charge collection and consequently higher photovoltaic parameters such as the fill factor. In this review, we relate processes to generate active layers with ED–EA vertical concentration gradients. After summarizing the formation of such concentration gradients in single layer active layers through processes such as annealing or additives, we will verify that sequential deposition of multilayered active layers can be an efficient approach to remarkably increase the fill factor and PCE of PSCs. In fact, applying this challenging approach to fabricate inverted architecture PSCs has the potential to generate low-cost, high efficiency and stable devices, which may revolutionize worldwide energy demand and/or help develop next generation devices such as semi-transparent photovoltaic windows.

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Section: Generation Of Vertical Ed–ea Distribution In Single Activsupporting

confidence: 62%

Section: Generation Of Vertical Ed–ea Distribution In Single Activmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fabrication Processes to Generate Concentration Gradients in Polymer Solar Cell Active Layers

Inaba

Vohra

2017

Materials

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“…The surface of the THF+PDMS-treated BHJ film was the most similar to that of the neat PTB7 film, which implies that it has the most PTB7-rich surface of all. To clarify the result, the WCA values were used to calculate the fractional coverage of PTB7 and PC 71 BM on the BHJ film surface by the applying the Cassie-Baxter equation [16,17]: (1) where…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surface Energy Induced Vertical Phase Separation of Nanomorphology in Polymer Solar Cells

Hong

Lee

Kim

2019

Appl. Sci. Converg. Technol.

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Efficient charge transport in inverted-structure polymer solar cells (i-PCSs) requires surface localization of the donor polymer in the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) film. For high-efficiency i-PCSs, vertical phase separation was induced between the PTB7 donor and PC71BM acceptor by attachment of a polymethylsulfoxide (PDMS) film on top of the BHJ film. The similar surface energies (SE) of the PDMS film attached to the as-spun active layer and the PTB7 molecules caused PTB7 to flow toward PDMS. Mixing tetrahydrofuran (THF) with PDMS further lowered the SE, reducing the difference between that of PDMS and PTB7 to less than 0.11 mN m −1. THF-treated PDMS efficiently attracted the PTB7 molecules, making BHJ active layer nanostructure amenable to charge transport and collection in the i-PSC. The maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the i-PSCs increased from 6.93 to 8.14 % with respective 8.6 and 6.7 % enhancements of the short-circuit current density (J sc) and fill factor (FF).

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“…The results reveal that the contact angles were 90° for the blank film, 83° for the PEDOT–PSS–PET film, and 77° for the PEDOT–PSA–PET film. The WPU films embodied the films coated with WPU resins in contrast . In the PEDOT–PSS–PET and PEDOT–PSA–PET films, the WPU resins were the matrix and reflected the hydrophobicity of the films, and the PEDOT–PSA acted as the additive, which was hydrophilic.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preparation and performance of a transparent poly(3,4‐ethylene dioxythiophene)–poly(p‐styrene sulfonate‐co‐acrylic acid sodium) film with a high stability and water resistance

Cai

Guo

et al. 2017

J of Applied Polymer Sci

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Poly(p‐styrene sulfonate‐co‐acrylic acid sodium) (PSA) from the copolymerization of acrylic acid sodium and p‐styrene sulfonate monomers were used to dope poly(3,4‐ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) to generate PEDOT–PSA antistatic dispersions. Compared to those of the PEDOT–poly(p‐styrene sulfonate sodium) (PSS), the physical and electrical properties of the PEDOT–PSA conductive liquids were much better. The PEDOT–PSA films possessed a better water resistance without a decrease in the conductivity. The sheet resistance of the PEDOT–PSA–poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films was about 1.5 × 104 Ω/sq with a 100 nm thickness, the same as the PEDOT–PSS–PET films. The transmittance of the PEDOT–PSA–PET films exceeded 88%. Furthermore, the environmental dispersity of the PEDOT–PSA antistatic dispersion was apparently improved by the dopant PSA so that the stability was extraordinarily promoted. Meanwhile, the water resistances of the PEDOT–PSA–PET and PEDOT–PSA films were also enhanced. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45163.

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Improving the efficiency of polymer solar cells via a treatment of methanol : water on the active layers

Abstract: Significant improvement in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of polymer solar cells (PSCs) has been observed when the active layer was treated with a mixture of methanol and water (M : W).

Cited by 24 publications

References 50 publications

Fabrication Processes to Generate Concentration Gradients in Polymer Solar Cell Active Layers

Fabrication Processes to Generate Concentration Gradients in Polymer Solar Cell Active Layers

Surface Energy Induced Vertical Phase Separation of Nanomorphology in Polymer Solar Cells

Preparation and performance of a transparent poly(3,4‐ethylene dioxythiophene)–poly(p‐styrene sulfonate‐co‐acrylic acid sodium) film with a high stability and water resistance

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