Outdoor Stability of Chloro–(Chloro)_n–Boron Subnaphthalocyanine and Chloro–Boron Subphthalocyanine as Electron Acceptors in Bilayer and Trilayer Organic Photovoltaics

Abstract

In the field of organic photovoltaics (OPVs), outdoor stability research has lagged behind material development and device engineering. Testing protocols established at the International Summit of OPV Stability (ISOS) have stimulated some stability research, but these studies are almost exclusively limited to already-refined devices made with already-commercialized materials. If OPV materials were tested outdoors during small-scale stages, stability issues could be detected earlier in the development cycle. Chloro−(chloro) n −boron subnaphthalocyanine (Cl−Cl n BsubNc) is a material with high OPV performance but has not previously been tested outdoors. An OPV power conversion efficiency of 8.4% has been previously demonstrated for a trilayer stack containing α-sexithiophene, Cl−Cl n BsubNc, and chloro−boron subphthalocyanine (Cl−BsubPc). Building on the most advanced ISOS outdoor testing protocols (ISOS-O3), we assess the outdoor stability of small-scale bilayer and trilayer OPVs while establishing an improved stability screening method for future derivatives. The outdoor stability of Cl−Cl n BsubNc is determined to be comparable to that of Cl−BsubPc.

Analysis of the solvent effects on the crystal growth of peripherally chlorinated boron subphthalocyanines

“…1b), with a power conversion efficiency of 8.4%. 16,17 Their ultimate functional stability has been further exhibited by previous work in our group, where we compared three sets of device stacked architectures 16,18 by following stability testing protocols (ISOS) 19 and found that the degradation of the other conductive layers in the OPV was the primary degradation point and not the degradation of BsubPcs and BsubNcs.…”

Cs-Symmetric, Peripherally Fluorinated Boron Subphthalocyanine–Subnaphthalocyanine Hybrids: Shedding New Light on Their Fundamental Photophysical Properties and Their Functionality as Optoelectronic Materials

“…Other remarkable features include intense and narrow emission profiles with quantum yields (QY) of >50% for BsubPcs and near 30% for BsubNcs, high ambient stability, , and the ability to fine-tune their optoelectronic properties by varying the axial ligand and/or by chemically functionalizing the various peripheral positions. , Moreover, both the bowl shape and the protruding axial ligand suppress aggregation in solution, increasing their solubility and processability compared to planar phthalocyanines . Owing to their uncommon electronic and photochemical properties brought on by their C 3 v -symmetric bowl shape, these robust organic molecules are desirable targets for application in organic photovoltaics (OPVs, also known as organic solar cells, OSCs), ,,,− organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), ,, and organic thin-film field-effect transistors (OFETs) . Most notably, in 2014, Cnops et al applied chloro-boron subphthalocyanine (Cl-BsubPc) and Cl-BsubNc together as non-fullerene electron acceptors in a record-efficient planar heterojunction OPV .…”

“…18 Both BsubPcs and BsubNcs are members of the porphyrinoid family, 19 the building blocks of photosynthetic systems, and are notable for their exceptional light absorbance capability (i.e., high extinction coefficients ε ≫ 50,000 L/(mol•cm) in the ultraviolet and visible portions of the electromagnetic spectrum) 20,21 and their strong absorption at the maximum solar irradiance (i.e., absorption between 550 and 600 nm and between 630 and 680 nm for BsubPcs and BsubNcs, respectively; Figure 1d). 10 Other remarkable features include intense and narrow emission profiles with quantum yields (QY) of >50% for BsubPcs and near 30% for BsubNcs, 22 high ambient stability, 23,24 and the ability to fine-tune their optoelectronic properties by varying the axial ligand and/or by chemically functionalizing the various peripheral positions. 25,26 Moreover, both the bowl shape and the protruding axial ligand suppress aggregation in solution, increasing their solubility and processability compared to planar phthalocyanines.…”

High-Efficiency Semitransparent Organic Photovoltaics Containing Vertical Multiheterojunctions

“…It has been a challenge to achieve both high efficiency and good stability for emerging PVs. − We performed some preliminary tests to determine the stability of our ST-OPVs fabricated using the various methods. Figure displays the results of accelerated aging of the ST-OPVs under damp heat conditions at a relative humidity of 85% and a temperature ( T ) of 85 °C (i.e., the “double-85” test), performed on unencapsulated devices.…”