Optimization of the power conversion efficiency in high bandgap pyridopyridinedithiophene-based conjugated polymers for organic photovoltaics by the random terpolymer approach

Gedefaw, Desta Antenehe; Sharma, Anirudh; Pan, Xun; Bjuggren, Jonas Mattiasson; Kroon, Renee; Gregoriou, Vasilis G.; Chochos, Christos L.; Andersson, Mats R.

doi:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2017.03.044

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…[6][7][8][9] Continued research into OPV technology has led to significant improvements in the device performance with power conversion efficiency (PCE) of up to 13% being reported. 10 However, OPVs are commonly prepared via spin-coating the active materials on small indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrates from non-environmentally friendly halogenated solvents, 11 which is counterproductive to achieving scalable and environmentally friendly fabrication of OPVs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmentally friendly preparation of nanoparticles for organic photovoltaics

Pan

Sharma

Gedefaw

et al. 2018

Organic Electronics

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“…The ferrocene/ferrocenium (Fc/Fc + ) reference was used to calibrate the measurements. The highest occupied molecular orbital energy levels (E HOMO ) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy levels (E LUMO ) were estimated from the onset potentials by setting the oxidative potential of Fc/Fc + vs the normal hydrogen electrode (NHE) to 0.630 V, and the NHE vs the vacuum level to 4.5 V (Hellström et al, 2009;Gedefaw et al, 2017b).…”

Section: Materials Characterizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water/Ethanol Soluble p-Type Conjugated Polymers for the Use in Organic Photovoltaics

et al. 2020

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We have developed two series of p-type conjugated polymers based on poly[2,3-bis-(3-octyloxyphenyl)quinoxaline-5,8-diyl-alt-thiophene-2,5-diyl] (TQ1) polymeric backbone utilizing polar pendant groups, i.e., tertiary amine and pyridine, to achieve switchable solubility in water and ethanol. By balancing the ratio between polar and non-polar side-groups, we could combine green-solvent processability with the manufacturing of functional photovoltaic devices. Due to the unavailability of water/alcohol soluble acceptors, the photovoltaic performance of these new polymers was evaluated using organic solvent by incorporating PC 61 BM. For water/alcohol soluble partial amine-based polymers, we achieve a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of ∼0.8% whereas alcohol soluble partial pyridine-based polymers show enhanced PCE of ∼1.3% with inverted device structure. We propose that the enhancement in PCE is a result of the reduction in amino-group content and the lower basicity of pyridine, both of which decrease the interaction between functionalized polymers with the anode interface material and reduce the miscibility of the donor and acceptor. Further improvement of the photovoltaic performance, in particular the open-circuit voltage (V oc), was achieved by using an anode buffer layer to mitigate the unfavorable interaction of the amino/pyridine groups with the MoO 3 electrode. Our work demonstrated the possibility of substituent modification for conjugated polymers using tertiary amine and pyridine groups to achieve water/alcohol soluble and functional donor materials.

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“…The film was rough (AFM investigation) due to the severe phase segregation of the polymer chains and PC 71 BM. A random terpolymer (P17) consisting difluoro-2,2 -(bithiophene) (25%), thiophene (25%) and pyridopyridinedithiophene (50%) molar amounts in the feed of the polymerization was synthesized to improve processability, miscibility, optical and electrochemical properties (Gedefaw et al, 2017b). As presumed, P17 showed an excellent solubility giving rise to a decent molecular weight (number average17.2 KDa).…”

Section: /Almentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent Advances in the Synthesis of Electron Donor Conjugated Terpolymers for Solar Cell Applications

2020

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The synthesis of donor (D)-acceptor (A) polymers using structurally elaborated monomers is an active research field. Some of the challenges with the use of alternating D-A polymers for photovoltaic applications are the relatively narrow absorption widths, the presence an absorption valleys in the visible region, unoptimized molecular energy levels and even lack of compatibility of the polymers with the common acceptors. The synthesis and characterization of polymers consisting of multiple chromophores (random and regular terpolymers) with complementing properties is currently gaining momentum in order to delicately optimize properties of polymers. A random terpolymer can either be of a system composed of one donor and two acceptors [(D-A1)-ran-(D-A2)] or a one acceptor and two donor segments [(D1-A)-ran-(D2-A)] incorporated in the polymer backbone. By varying the composition of the monomers in the feed of the polymerization reaction, the properties of the resulting terpolymers can be carefully optimized. Using this strategy, many materials with desired properties have been developed and power conversion efficiency (PCE) surpassing 14% in a single layer bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell device have been reported. This review summarizes the most recent advances made in the development of electron donor terpolymers for organic photovoltaics (OPVs). The properties of the terpolymers are compared with their respective reference polymer.

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Optimization of the power conversion efficiency in high bandgap pyridopyridinedithiophene-based conjugated polymers for organic photovoltaics by the random terpolymer approach

Cited by 6 publications

References 31 publications

Environmentally friendly preparation of nanoparticles for organic photovoltaics

Environmentally friendly preparation of nanoparticles for organic photovoltaics

Water/Ethanol Soluble p-Type Conjugated Polymers for the Use in Organic Photovoltaics

Recent Advances in the Synthesis of Electron Donor Conjugated Terpolymers for Solar Cell Applications

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