Simultaneous improvement in efficiency and photostability of organic solar cells by modifying the ZnO electron-transport layer with curcumin

Liu, Yue; Yang, Hang; Wu, Yue; Fan, Hongyu; Li, Xiaoxiao; Hu, Kewei; Cui, Chaohua; Li, Yongfang

doi:10.1039/d3tc02060f

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…The reduced emission of the SAM-treated ZnO at wavelengths between 400 and 500 nm, when compared to the pure ZnO films, suggests the formation of new intragap states, which could lead to nonradiative recombination. Previous studies, including those by Wei et al 24 and others, 29,32 have shown that SAM treatment of ZnO can introduce intragap states. Moreover, SAM modification of ZnO may affect the electrical conductivity of the ZnO surface.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Self-Assembled Monolayer Engineered ZnO Electron Transport Layer to Improve the Photostability of Organic Solar Cells

Gebremariam,

Hone,

Negash

et al. 2024

Energy Fuels

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The degradation of organic solar cells (OSCs) can occur in any of the layers, underlining the importance of each layer in prolonging their lifetime. To enhance the performance and stability of inverted OSCs (i-OSCs), interfacial modification has been employed. In this context, two self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), namely, octadecanthiol (ODT) and octadecyltrimethoxysilane (OTMS), were utilized to effectively passivate typical surface defects in the ZnO electron transport layer (ETL). The SAM-treated ZnO films were found to be more hydrophobic, which reduced surface defects produced by adsorbed oxygen and hydroxyl groups. Consequently, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the i-OSCs comprising an indacenodithieno[3,2-b]thiophene-alt-5,5-di(thiophen-2-yl)-2,2-bithiazole (PIDTT-DTBTz) donor blended with [6,6]-phenyl-C 71 -butyric acid methyl ester (PC 70 BM) acceptor increased from 4.20% in pristine ZnO-to 5.01 and 5.37% in ODTand OTMS-treated ZnO-based devices, respectively. In addition, the photostability of the device substantially improved. Hence, devices based on ZnO treated with ODT and OTMS kept 76 and 89% of their initial PCE, respectively, while pristine ZnO-based devices retained only 66% of the initial PCE after 48 h of irradiation. The improved PCE and extended lifetime of the i-OSCs can be attributed to enhanced charge transfer, the reduction in both bimolecular and trap-assisted recombination processes, and the enhanced interface between the ETL and the active layer. Moreover, it has been observed that the OTMS-treated ZnO ETL-based i-OSC offers better stability and more efficient devices compared to the ODT-treated ZnO ETL-based devices. This can be attributed to the favorable dipole moment generated by the increased electrostatic potential at the anchor group, which promotes improved device performance.

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Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Self-Assembled Monolayer Engineered ZnO Electron Transport Layer to Improve the Photostability of Organic Solar Cells

Gebremariam,

Hone,

Negash

et al. 2024

Energy Fuels

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“…In the modern scientific era, integrating multifunctional applications into a unified system is the key to unlocking future advancements. 1–3 Recently, the combination of photodetectors and gas sensing has been of particular interest owing to its potential to revolutionize next-generation optoelectronic gas sensors. 4 Conventional inorganic conductometric gas sensors encounter issues such as high power consumption and poor selectivity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…ZnO possesses a unique combination of low cost, minimal toxicity, high transparency, appropriate work function, great conductivity, and ease of solution preparation. 2 However, the practical use of bare ZnO nanostructures in photodetector applications is hindered by its high resistivity, low charge collection probability, large band gap, and inherent structural defects, which negatively impact the photoresponse. One viable solution to circumvent these drawbacks is doping ZnO with elements such as fluorine, chlorine, nickel, aluminium, titanium, gallium, and indium to enhance carrier mobility and, consequently, improve photosensitivity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A self-powered photoactive room temperature gas sensor based on a porphyrin-functionalized ZnO nanorod/p-Si heterostructure

Bora,

George,

Sivalingam

et al. 2024

J. Mater. Chem. C

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Piperazine‐Functionalized Arylene Diimides as Electron Transport Layers for High‐Efficiency and Stable Organic Solar Cells

Li,

Wang,

et al. 2024

Adv Funct Materials

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In organic solar cells (OSCs), electron transport layer (ETL) materials are typically designed with highly polar groups to lower the work function (WF) of the cathode and ensure solvent orthogonality. However, the increased surface energy associated with these polar groups results in significant hygroscopicity and poor interfacial contact with the active layer, posing a challenge for interlayer engineering that must balance device efficiency and stability. Herein, two novel arylene diimides (PDI‐P and NDI‐P) are developed with side chains that are end‐capped with piperazine groups, as opposed to the commonly used amine groups. As ETLs, these materials not only exhibit excellent electron conductivity but also effectively lower the WF of the silver cathode. Compared to the amine‐functionalized perylene diimide (PDI‐N), the piperazine‐functionalized perylene diimide (PDI‐P) exhibits reduced surface energy and hygroscopicity, resulting in improved wettability with the active layer and decreased moisture sensitivity. These characteristics contribute to enhanced interfacial contact and device stability. The PDI‐P ETL is compatible with various high‐performance electron acceptor materials, achieving high efficiencies across a wide thickness range of ≈7 to 30 nm, with a maximum efficiency of 19.8%. These findings highlight the great potential of PDI‐P as an ETL for high‐efficiency and stable OSCs.

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Simultaneous improvement in efficiency and photostability of organic solar cells by modifying the ZnO electron-transport layer with curcumin

Abstract: As a representative electron transport layer (ETL), Zinc oxide (ZnO) has been widely used in inverted organic solar cells (i-OSCs), while its surface defects and intrinsic “light-soaking” issues have yet...

Cited by 5 publications

References 45 publications

Self-Assembled Monolayer Engineered ZnO Electron Transport Layer to Improve the Photostability of Organic Solar Cells

Self-Assembled Monolayer Engineered ZnO Electron Transport Layer to Improve the Photostability of Organic Solar Cells

A self-powered photoactive room temperature gas sensor based on a porphyrin-functionalized ZnO nanorod/p-Si heterostructure

Piperazine‐Functionalized Arylene Diimides as Electron Transport Layers for High‐Efficiency and Stable Organic Solar Cells

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