Molecular helices as electron acceptors in high-performance bulk heterojunction solar cells

Yu Zhong; M. Tuan Trinh; Rongsheng Chen; Geoffrey E. Purdum; Petr P. Khlyabich; Melda Sezen; Seokjoon Oh; Haiming Zhu; Brandon Fowler; Boyuan Zhang; Wei Wang; Chang Yong Nam; Matthew Y. Sfeir; Charles T. Black; Michael L. Steigerwald; Yueh Lin Loo; Fay Ng; X. Y. Zhu; Colin Nuckolls

doi:10.1038/ncomms9242

Molecular helices as electron acceptors in high-performance bulk heterojunction solar cells

Yu Zhong, M. Tuan Trinh, Rongsheng Chen, Geoffrey E. Purdum, Petr P. Khlyabich, Melda Sezen, Seokjoon Oh, Haiming Zhu, Brandon Fowler, Boyuan Zhang, Wei Wang, Chang Yong Nam, Matthew Y. Sfeir, Charles T. Black, Michael L. Steigerwald, Yueh Lin Loo, Fay Ng, X. Y. Zhu, Colin Nuckolls

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528 Scopus citations

Abstract

Despite numerous organic semiconducting materials synthesized for organic photovoltaics in the past decade, fullerenes are widely used as electron acceptors in highly efficient bulk-heterojunction solar cells. None of the non-fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells have achieved efficiencies as high as fullerene-based solar cells. Design principles for fullerene-free acceptors remain unclear in the field. Here we report examples of helical molecular semiconductors as electron acceptors that are on par with fullerene derivatives in efficient solar cells. We achieved an 8.3% power conversion efficiency in a solar cell, which is a record high for non-fullerene bulk heterojunctions. Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy revealed both electron and hole transfer processes at the donor-acceptor interfaces. Atomic force microscopy reveals a mesh-like network of acceptors with pores that are tens of nanometres in diameter for efficient exciton separation and charge transport. This study describes a new motif for designing highly efficient acceptors for organic solar cells.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	8242
Journal	Nature communications
Volume	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms9242
State	Published - Sep 18 2015

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

General Chemistry
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
General Physics and Astronomy

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Zhong, Y., Trinh, M. T., Chen, R., Purdum, G. E., Khlyabich, P. P., Sezen, M., Oh, S., Zhu, H., Fowler, B., Zhang, B., Wang, W., Nam, C. Y., Sfeir, M. Y., Black, C. T., Steigerwald, M. L., Loo, Y. L., Ng, F., Zhu, X. Y., & Nuckolls, C. (2015). Molecular helices as electron acceptors in high-performance bulk heterojunction solar cells. Nature communications, 6, Article 8242. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms9242

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title = "Molecular helices as electron acceptors in high-performance bulk heterojunction solar cells",

abstract = "Despite numerous organic semiconducting materials synthesized for organic photovoltaics in the past decade, fullerenes are widely used as electron acceptors in highly efficient bulk-heterojunction solar cells. None of the non-fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells have achieved efficiencies as high as fullerene-based solar cells. Design principles for fullerene-free acceptors remain unclear in the field. Here we report examples of helical molecular semiconductors as electron acceptors that are on par with fullerene derivatives in efficient solar cells. We achieved an 8.3% power conversion efficiency in a solar cell, which is a record high for non-fullerene bulk heterojunctions. Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy revealed both electron and hole transfer processes at the donor-acceptor interfaces. Atomic force microscopy reveals a mesh-like network of acceptors with pores that are tens of nanometres in diameter for efficient exciton separation and charge transport. This study describes a new motif for designing highly efficient acceptors for organic solar cells.",

author = "Yu Zhong and Trinh, {M. Tuan} and Rongsheng Chen and Purdum, {Geoffrey E.} and Khlyabich, {Petr P.} and Melda Sezen and Seokjoon Oh and Haiming Zhu and Brandon Fowler and Boyuan Zhang and Wei Wang and Nam, {Chang Yong} and Sfeir, {Matthew Y.} and Black, {Charles T.} and Steigerwald, {Michael L.} and Loo, {Yueh Lin} and Fay Ng and Zhu, {X. Y.} and Colin Nuckolls",

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Zhong, Y, Trinh, MT, Chen, R, Purdum, GE, Khlyabich, PP, Sezen, M, Oh, S, Zhu, H, Fowler, B, Zhang, B, Wang, W, Nam, CY, Sfeir, MY, Black, CT, Steigerwald, ML, Loo, YL, Ng, F, Zhu, XY & Nuckolls, C 2015, 'Molecular helices as electron acceptors in high-performance bulk heterojunction solar cells', Nature communications, vol. 6, 8242. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms9242

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T1 - Molecular helices as electron acceptors in high-performance bulk heterojunction solar cells

AU - Zhong, Yu

AU - Trinh, M. Tuan

AU - Chen, Rongsheng

AU - Purdum, Geoffrey E.

AU - Khlyabich, Petr P.

AU - Sezen, Melda

AU - Oh, Seokjoon

AU - Zhu, Haiming

AU - Fowler, Brandon

AU - Zhang, Boyuan

AU - Wang, Wei

AU - Nam, Chang Yong

AU - Sfeir, Matthew Y.

AU - Black, Charles T.

AU - Steigerwald, Michael L.

AU - Loo, Yueh Lin

AU - Ng, Fay

AU - Zhu, X. Y.

AU - Nuckolls, Colin

PY - 2015/9/18

Y1 - 2015/9/18

N2 - Despite numerous organic semiconducting materials synthesized for organic photovoltaics in the past decade, fullerenes are widely used as electron acceptors in highly efficient bulk-heterojunction solar cells. None of the non-fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells have achieved efficiencies as high as fullerene-based solar cells. Design principles for fullerene-free acceptors remain unclear in the field. Here we report examples of helical molecular semiconductors as electron acceptors that are on par with fullerene derivatives in efficient solar cells. We achieved an 8.3% power conversion efficiency in a solar cell, which is a record high for non-fullerene bulk heterojunctions. Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy revealed both electron and hole transfer processes at the donor-acceptor interfaces. Atomic force microscopy reveals a mesh-like network of acceptors with pores that are tens of nanometres in diameter for efficient exciton separation and charge transport. This study describes a new motif for designing highly efficient acceptors for organic solar cells.

AB - Despite numerous organic semiconducting materials synthesized for organic photovoltaics in the past decade, fullerenes are widely used as electron acceptors in highly efficient bulk-heterojunction solar cells. None of the non-fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells have achieved efficiencies as high as fullerene-based solar cells. Design principles for fullerene-free acceptors remain unclear in the field. Here we report examples of helical molecular semiconductors as electron acceptors that are on par with fullerene derivatives in efficient solar cells. We achieved an 8.3% power conversion efficiency in a solar cell, which is a record high for non-fullerene bulk heterojunctions. Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy revealed both electron and hole transfer processes at the donor-acceptor interfaces. Atomic force microscopy reveals a mesh-like network of acceptors with pores that are tens of nanometres in diameter for efficient exciton separation and charge transport. This study describes a new motif for designing highly efficient acceptors for organic solar cells.

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JO - Nature communications

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M1 - 8242

ER -

Molecular helices as electron acceptors in high-performance bulk heterojunction solar cells

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

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