Non-fullerene acceptor photostability and its impact on organic solar cell lifetime

Andrew J. Clarke; Joel Luke; Rico Meitzner; Jiaying Wu; Yuming Wang; Harrison K.H. Lee; Emily M. Speller; Helen Bristow; Hyojung Cha; Michael J. Newman; Katherine Hooper; Alex Evans; Feng Gao; Harald Hoppe; Iain McCulloch; Ulrich S. Schubert; Trystan M. Watson; James R. Durrant; Wing C. Tsoi; Ji Seon Kim; Zhe Li

doi:10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100498

Non-fullerene acceptor photostability and its impact on organic solar cell lifetime

Andrew J. Clarke, Joel Luke, Rico Meitzner, Jiaying Wu, Yuming Wang, Harrison K.H. Lee, Emily M. Speller, Helen Bristow, Hyojung Cha, Michael J. Newman, Katherine Hooper, Alex Evans, Feng Gao, Harald Hoppe, Iain McCulloch, Ulrich S. Schubert, Trystan M. Watson, James R. Durrant, Wing C. Tsoi, Ji Seon KimZhe Li

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

63 Scopus citations

Abstract

The development of non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) has facilitated the realization of efficient organic solar cells (OSCs) with minimal burn-in losses and excellent long-term stability. However, the role of NFA molecular structures on device stability remains unclear, limiting commercialization of NFA-based OSCs. Herein, the photostability of 10 OSC devices, fabricated with various NFAs (O-IDTBR, EH-IDTBR, ITIC, and ITIC-M) blended with donor polymers (PTB7-Th, PffBT4T-2OD, and PBDB-T), is investigated. O-IDTBR and EH-IDTBR form highly stable devices with all three polymers, whereas ITIC and ITIC-M devices suffer from burn-in losses and long-term degradation. Conformational instability is found to be responsible for the poor photostability of ITIC and ITIC-M, resulting in poor device stability. Twisting and potential breakage of the chemical bond that links the end group to the main backbone of ITIC and ITIC-M molecules causes undesirable conformational changes. Potential strategies to overcome such detrimental photo-induced conformational changes in NFAs are proposed.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	100498
Journal	Cell Reports Physical Science
Volume	2
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100498
State	Published - Jul 21 2021
Externally published	Yes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

General Chemistry
General Materials Science
General Engineering
General Energy
General Physics and Astronomy

Keywords

IDTBR stability
ITIC stability
molecular conformation
non-fullerene acceptors
OPV stability
organic photovoltaics
photostability
Raman spectroscopy

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10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100498

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Clarke, A. J., Luke, J., Meitzner, R., Wu, J., Wang, Y., Lee, H. K. H., Speller, E. M., Bristow, H., Cha, H., Newman, M. J., Hooper, K., Evans, A., Gao, F., Hoppe, H., McCulloch, I., Schubert, U. S., Watson, T. M., Durrant, J. R., Tsoi, W. C., ... Li, Z. (2021). Non-fullerene acceptor photostability and its impact on organic solar cell lifetime. Cell Reports Physical Science, 2(7), Article 100498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100498

@article{6741f89547ca44a29a8057e38323dfa1,

title = "Non-fullerene acceptor photostability and its impact on organic solar cell lifetime",

abstract = "The development of non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) has facilitated the realization of efficient organic solar cells (OSCs) with minimal burn-in losses and excellent long-term stability. However, the role of NFA molecular structures on device stability remains unclear, limiting commercialization of NFA-based OSCs. Herein, the photostability of 10 OSC devices, fabricated with various NFAs (O-IDTBR, EH-IDTBR, ITIC, and ITIC-M) blended with donor polymers (PTB7-Th, PffBT4T-2OD, and PBDB-T), is investigated. O-IDTBR and EH-IDTBR form highly stable devices with all three polymers, whereas ITIC and ITIC-M devices suffer from burn-in losses and long-term degradation. Conformational instability is found to be responsible for the poor photostability of ITIC and ITIC-M, resulting in poor device stability. Twisting and potential breakage of the chemical bond that links the end group to the main backbone of ITIC and ITIC-M molecules causes undesirable conformational changes. Potential strategies to overcome such detrimental photo-induced conformational changes in NFAs are proposed.",

keywords = "IDTBR stability, ITIC stability, molecular conformation, non-fullerene acceptors, OPV stability, organic photovoltaics, photostability, Raman spectroscopy",

author = "Clarke, {Andrew J.} and Joel Luke and Rico Meitzner and Jiaying Wu and Yuming Wang and Lee, {Harrison K.H.} and Speller, {Emily M.} and Helen Bristow and Hyojung Cha and Newman, {Michael J.} and Katherine Hooper and Alex Evans and Feng Gao and Harald Hoppe and Iain McCulloch and Schubert, {Ulrich S.} and Watson, {Trystan M.} and Durrant, {James R.} and Tsoi, {Wing C.} and Kim, {Ji Seon} and Zhe Li",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors",

year = "2021",

month = jul,

day = "21",

doi = "10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100498",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "2",

journal = "Cell Reports Physical Science",

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Clarke, AJ, Luke, J, Meitzner, R, Wu, J, Wang, Y, Lee, HKH, Speller, EM, Bristow, H, Cha, H, Newman, MJ, Hooper, K, Evans, A, Gao, F, Hoppe, H, McCulloch, I, Schubert, US, Watson, TM, Durrant, JR, Tsoi, WC, Kim, JS & Li, Z 2021, 'Non-fullerene acceptor photostability and its impact on organic solar cell lifetime', Cell Reports Physical Science, vol. 2, no. 7, 100498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100498

TY - JOUR

T1 - Non-fullerene acceptor photostability and its impact on organic solar cell lifetime

AU - Clarke, Andrew J.

AU - Luke, Joel

AU - Meitzner, Rico

AU - Wu, Jiaying

AU - Wang, Yuming

AU - Lee, Harrison K.H.

AU - Speller, Emily M.

AU - Bristow, Helen

AU - Cha, Hyojung

AU - Newman, Michael J.

AU - Hooper, Katherine

AU - Evans, Alex

AU - Gao, Feng

AU - Hoppe, Harald

AU - McCulloch, Iain

AU - Schubert, Ulrich S.

AU - Watson, Trystan M.

AU - Durrant, James R.

AU - Tsoi, Wing C.

AU - Kim, Ji Seon

AU - Li, Zhe

PY - 2021/7/21

Y1 - 2021/7/21

N2 - The development of non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) has facilitated the realization of efficient organic solar cells (OSCs) with minimal burn-in losses and excellent long-term stability. However, the role of NFA molecular structures on device stability remains unclear, limiting commercialization of NFA-based OSCs. Herein, the photostability of 10 OSC devices, fabricated with various NFAs (O-IDTBR, EH-IDTBR, ITIC, and ITIC-M) blended with donor polymers (PTB7-Th, PffBT4T-2OD, and PBDB-T), is investigated. O-IDTBR and EH-IDTBR form highly stable devices with all three polymers, whereas ITIC and ITIC-M devices suffer from burn-in losses and long-term degradation. Conformational instability is found to be responsible for the poor photostability of ITIC and ITIC-M, resulting in poor device stability. Twisting and potential breakage of the chemical bond that links the end group to the main backbone of ITIC and ITIC-M molecules causes undesirable conformational changes. Potential strategies to overcome such detrimental photo-induced conformational changes in NFAs are proposed.

AB - The development of non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) has facilitated the realization of efficient organic solar cells (OSCs) with minimal burn-in losses and excellent long-term stability. However, the role of NFA molecular structures on device stability remains unclear, limiting commercialization of NFA-based OSCs. Herein, the photostability of 10 OSC devices, fabricated with various NFAs (O-IDTBR, EH-IDTBR, ITIC, and ITIC-M) blended with donor polymers (PTB7-Th, PffBT4T-2OD, and PBDB-T), is investigated. O-IDTBR and EH-IDTBR form highly stable devices with all three polymers, whereas ITIC and ITIC-M devices suffer from burn-in losses and long-term degradation. Conformational instability is found to be responsible for the poor photostability of ITIC and ITIC-M, resulting in poor device stability. Twisting and potential breakage of the chemical bond that links the end group to the main backbone of ITIC and ITIC-M molecules causes undesirable conformational changes. Potential strategies to overcome such detrimental photo-induced conformational changes in NFAs are proposed.

KW - IDTBR stability

KW - ITIC stability

KW - molecular conformation

KW - non-fullerene acceptors

KW - OPV stability

KW - organic photovoltaics

KW - photostability

KW - Raman spectroscopy

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U2 - 10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100498

DO - 10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100498

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85110661066

SN - 2666-3864

VL - 2

JO - Cell Reports Physical Science

JF - Cell Reports Physical Science

IS - 7

M1 - 100498

ER -

Non-fullerene acceptor photostability and its impact on organic solar cell lifetime

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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