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Design of All-Small-Molecule Organic Solar Cells Approaching 14% Efficiency via Isometric Terminal Alkyl Chain Engineering

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Listed:
  • Haiyan Chen

    (Chongqing University, 174 Shazhengjie, Shapingba, Chongqing 400044, China
    Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
    Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China)

  • Hua Tang

    (Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
    Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China)

  • Dingqin Hu

    (Chongqing University, 174 Shazhengjie, Shapingba, Chongqing 400044, China
    Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
    Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China)

  • Yiqun Xiao

    (Department of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China)

  • Jiehao Fu

    (Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China)

  • Jie Lv

    (Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
    Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China)

  • Qingqing Yu

    (Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
    Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China)

  • Zeyun Xiao

    (Chongqing University, 174 Shazhengjie, Shapingba, Chongqing 400044, China
    Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
    Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China)

  • Xinhui Lu

    (Department of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China)

  • Hanlin Hu

    (Hoffman Institute of Advanced Materials, Shenzhen Polytechnic, 7098 Liuxian Boulevard, Shenzhen 518055, China)

  • Shirong Lu

    (Chongqing University, 174 Shazhengjie, Shapingba, Chongqing 400044, China
    Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
    Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China)

Abstract

Morphology is crucial to determining the photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells (OSCs). However, manipulating morphology involving only small-molecule donors and acceptors is extremely challenging. Herein, a simple terminal alkyl chain engineering process is introduced to fine-tune the morphology towards high-performance all-small-molecule (ASM) OSCs. We successfully chose a chlorinated two-dimension benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene (BDT) central unit and two isomeric alkyl cyanoacetate as the end-capped moieties to conveniently synthesize two isomeric small-molecule donors, namely, BT-R O -Cl and BT-R EH -Cl, each bearing linear n-octyl (O) as the terminal alkyl chain and another branched 2-ethylhexyl (EH) as the terminal alkyl chain. The terminal alkyl chain engineering process provided BT-R O -Cl with 13.35% efficiency and BT-R EH -Cl with 13.90% efficiency ASM OSCs, both with Y6 as the electron acceptor. The successful performance resulted from uniform phase separation and the favorable combination of face-on and edge-on molecular stacking of blended small-molecule donors and acceptors, which formed a fluent 3D transport channel and thus delivered high and balanced carrier mobilities. These findings demonstrate that alkyl chain engineering can finely control the morphology of ASM OSCs, and provides an alternative for the optimal design of small-molecule materials towards high-performance ASM OSCs.

Suggested Citation

  • Haiyan Chen & Hua Tang & Dingqin Hu & Yiqun Xiao & Jiehao Fu & Jie Lv & Qingqing Yu & Zeyun Xiao & Xinhui Lu & Hanlin Hu & Shirong Lu, 2021. "Design of All-Small-Molecule Organic Solar Cells Approaching 14% Efficiency via Isometric Terminal Alkyl Chain Engineering," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-11, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:9:p:2505-:d:544565
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kuan Sun & Zeyun Xiao & Shirong Lu & Wojciech Zajaczkowski & Wojciech Pisula & Eric Hanssen & Jonathan M. White & Rachel M. Williamson & Jegadesan Subbiah & Jianyong Ouyang & Andrew B. Holmes & Wallac, 2015. "A molecular nematic liquid crystalline material for high-performance organic photovoltaics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-9, May.
    2. Ruimin Zhou & Zhaoyan Jiang & Chen Yang & Jianwei Yu & Jirui Feng & Muhammad Abdullah Adil & Dan Deng & Wenjun Zou & Jianqi Zhang & Kun Lu & Wei Ma & Feng Gao & Zhixiang Wei, 2019. "All-small-molecule organic solar cells with over 14% efficiency by optimizing hierarchical morphologies," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Zichun Zhou & Shengjie Xu & Jingnan Song & Yingzhi Jin & Qihui Yue & Yuhao Qian & Feng Liu & Fengling Zhang & Xiaozhang Zhu, 2018. "High-efficiency small-molecule ternary solar cells with a hierarchical morphology enabled by synergizing fullerene and non-fullerene acceptors," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 3(11), pages 952-959, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Qiuju Liang & Jianhong Yao & Zhangbo Hu & Puxin Wei & Haodong Lu & Yukai Yin & Kang Wang & Jiangang Liu, 2021. "Recent Advances of Film–Forming Kinetics in Organic Solar Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-26, November.
    2. Xinlei Wu & Yuanpeng Zhang & Kaihang Shi & Xiaoling Ma & Fujun Zhang, 2023. "Advanced Progress of Organic Photovoltaics," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-3, January.
    3. Yu Jiang & Youjun Bai & Shenghao Wang, 2023. "Organic Solar Cells: From Fundamental to Application," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-3, February.
    4. Qiuju Liang & Haodong Lu & Yinxia Chang & Zemin He & Yuzhen Zhao & Jiangang Liu, 2022. "Morphology Control in Organic Solar Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-3, July.

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