Nano-pathways: Bridging the divide between water-processable nanoparticulate and bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaics

Holmes, Natalie P.; Marks, Melissa; Kumar, Pankaj; Kroon, Renee; Barr, Matthew G.; Nicolaidis, Nicolas C.; Feron, Krishna; Pivrikas, Almantas; Fahy, Adam; Mendaza, Amaia Diaz de Zerio; Kilcoyne, A. L. D.; Müller, Christian; Zhou, Xiaojing; Andersson, Mats R.; Dastoor, Paul C.; Belcher, Warwick J.

doi:10.1016/j.nanoen.2015.11.021

Cited by 75 publications

(142 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…This level of performance is comparable to optimized NP solar cells from other materials. 22,23,25,33,35−37 For the NP cells with [70]PCBM as acceptor, we found a similar trade-off between an increasing J SC and decreasing FF for thicker films (Table 6) as that found for [60]PCBM (Table 3). The reduction in FF for thicker layers is attributed to increased bimolecular recombination.…”

Section: Results and Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Aqueous Nanoparticle Polymer Solar Cells: Effects of Surfactant Concentration and Processing on Device Performance

Colberts

Wienk

Janssen

2017

ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces

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Polymer solar cells based on PDPP5T and PCBM as donor and acceptor materials, respectively, were processed from aqueous nanoparticle dispersions. Careful monitoring and optimization of the concentration of free and surface-bound surfactants in the dispersion, by measuring the conductivity and ζ-potential, is essential to avoid aggregation of nanoparticles at low concentration and dewetting of the film at high concentration. The surfactant concentration is crucial for creating reproducible processing conditions that aid in further developing aqueous nanoparticle processed solar cells. In addition, the effects of adding ethanol, of aging the dispersion, and of replacing [60]PCBM with [70]PCBM to enhance light absorption were studied. The highest power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) obtained are 2.0% for [60]PCBM and 2.4% for [70]PCBM-based devices. These PCEs are limited by bimolecular recombination of photogenerated charges. Cryo-TEM reveals that the two components phase separate in the nanoparticles, forming a PCBM-rich core and a PDPP5T-rich shell and causing a nonoptimal film morphology.

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Section: Results and Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Aqueous Nanoparticle Polymer Solar Cells: Effects of Surfactant Concentration and Processing on Device Performance

Colberts

Wienk

Janssen

2017

ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces

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“…33,43,50 Thus, precise control over the thermal annealing temperature is crucial to achieve a homogenous active layer in OPVs as well as removing the moisture and avoiding large phase separation. 37 Similar behaviour was also found in the case of NP-xylene films, when annealed at different temperatures ( Fig. 4e-h).…”

supporting

confidence: 82%

“…The size distribution of PTNT:PC 71 BM (1:2 weight ratio) NPs prepared from different organic solvents were characterized from SEM images with a circular Hough transform algorithm. [37][38] In the varied annealing temperature study, all films were predried at 90 °C for 4 min immediately after spin-coating for consistency with device fabrication.…”

Section: Nanoparticle Characterizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To achieve stable aqueous NP dispersions, chloroform (utilized to form the miniemulsion) was completely removed after heating at 60 °C for 3 hr and o-xylene was evaporated by heating at 75 °C for 6 hr, To achieve well performing solar devices using water dispersed NPs, it is imperative to achieve good morphology of the active layer. [44][45] Due to the particulate shape and the coreshell structure of NPs prepared through miniemulsion method 25,37 , the coalescing of NPs could ideally tune the morphology of the active layer and is thus desirable for better charge transport and extraction. 21,46 To coalesce NPs without inducing defects in the film, thermalannealing was introduced, which is widely applied to both NP and BHJ solar devices to improve the morphology of the active layer, therefore enhancing the performance of devices.…”

Section: Property Of Nanoparticlesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Environmentally friendly preparation of nanoparticles for organic photovoltaics

Pan

Sharma

Gedefaw

et al. 2018

Organic Electronics

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Aqueous nanoparticle dispersions were prepared from a conjugated polymer poly(2,5-thiophene-alt-4,9-bis(2-hexyldecyl)-4,9-dihydrodithieno[3,2-c:3',2'-h][1,5]naphthyridine-5,10-dione) (PTNT) and fullerene blend utilizing chloroform as well as a non-chlorinated and environmentally benign solvent, o-xylene, as the miniemulsion dispersed phase solvent. The nanoparticles (NPs) in the solid-state film were found to coalesce and offered a smooth surface topography upon thermal annealing. Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) with photoactive layer processed from the nanoparticle dispersions prepared using chloroform as the miniemulsion dispersed phase solvent were found to have a power conversion efficiency M A N U S C R I P T A C C E P T E D ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT2 (PCE) of 1.04%, which increased to 1.65% for devices utilizing NPs prepared from o-xylene.Physical, thermal and optical properties of NPs prepared using both chloroform and o-xylene were systematically studied using dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and correlated to their photovoltaic properties. The PL results indicate different morphology of NPs in the solid state were achieved by varying miniemulsion dispersed phase solvent.

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“…[15] Various studies on NP-OPV active layers revealed some of the factors influencing their morphology. [17] Similarly, D'Olieslaeger et al [18,19] suggested that, in the case of some low band gap (LBG) polymers, higher annealing temperature of around 180 °C are required to prepare efficient devices. [17] Similarly, D'Olieslaeger et al [18,19] suggested that, in the case of some low band gap (LBG) polymers, higher annealing temperature of around 180 °C are required to prepare efficient devices.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water‐Processable Amphiphilic Low Band Gap Block Copolymer:Fullerene Blend Nanoparticles as Alternative Sustainable Approach for Organic Solar Cells

Zappia

Scavia

Ferretti

et al. 2018

Advanced Sustainable Systems

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The preparation of water‐processable nanoparticles (NPs) of polymer semiconductors assembled using an amphiphilic rod‐coil block copolymer (BCP), and their application to active layer sustainable fabrication of organic photovoltaic devices are reported. The hydrophobic rod is a p‐type semiconductor, while the hydrophilic coil is a short chain of poly‐4‐vinylpyridine strongly interacting with [6,6]‐phenyl‐C61‐butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM). Through miniemulsion technique stable water‐suspended blend NPs are obtained, avoiding nonconducting surfactant use. The amphiphilic BCP fulfills a dual function, as surfactant for stabilizing the blend NPs and as electron donor material in the active layer. After mild annealing of obtained films, blend NPs interconnect with each other forming compact and uniform layers with adequate morphology for efficient charge percolation to the electrodes. Space‐charge limited hole mobility of ≈5 × 10−3 cm2 V−1 s−1 in BCP‐only NP films annealed at 120 °C (corresponding to a tenfold increase in mobility as compared to the p‐type semiconductor films spin‐coated from chlorinated solvents) indicates strong p–p interactions in the self‐assembled NPs. Blend NPs were covered with thin PC61BM layer and used as active layers in photovoltaic devices displaying high photocurrents (11.5 mA cm−2) and average power conversion efficiency of 2.53% after annealing at 90 °C.

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Nano-pathways: Bridging the divide between water-processable nanoparticulate and bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaics

Cited by 75 publications

References 44 publications

Aqueous Nanoparticle Polymer Solar Cells: Effects of Surfactant Concentration and Processing on Device Performance

Aqueous Nanoparticle Polymer Solar Cells: Effects of Surfactant Concentration and Processing on Device Performance

Environmentally friendly preparation of nanoparticles for organic photovoltaics

Water‐Processable Amphiphilic Low Band Gap Block Copolymer:Fullerene Blend Nanoparticles as Alternative Sustainable Approach for Organic Solar Cells

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