The role of interfacial donor–acceptor percolation in efficient and stable all-polymer solar cells

Zhen Wang, Yu Guo, Xianzhao Liu, Wenchao Shu, Guangchao Han, Kan Ding, Subhrangsu Mukherjee, Nan Zhang, Hin-Lap Yip, Yuanping Yi, Harald Ade and Philip C. Y. Chow ()
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Zhen Wang: The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam
Yu Guo: The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam
Xianzhao Liu: The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam
Wenchao Shu: Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian
Guangchao Han: Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian
Kan Ding: North Carolina State University
Subhrangsu Mukherjee: North Carolina State University
Nan Zhang: City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon
Hin-Lap Yip: City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon
Yuanping Yi: Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian
Harald Ade: North Carolina State University
Philip C. Y. Chow: The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Polymerization of Y6-type acceptor molecules leads to bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells with both high power-conversion efficiency and device stability, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here we show that the exciton recombination dynamics of polymerized Y6-type acceptors (Y6-PAs) strongly depends on the degree of aggregation. While the fast exciton recombination rate in aggregated Y6-PA competes with electron-hole separation at the donor–acceptor (D–A) interface, the much-suppressed exciton recombination rate in dispersed Y6-PA is sufficient to allow efficient free charge generation. Indeed, our experimental results and theoretical simulations reveal that Y6-PAs have larger miscibility with the donor polymer than Y6-type small molecular acceptors, leading to D–A percolation that effectively prevents the formation of Y6-PA aggregates at the interface. Besides enabling high charge generation efficiency, the interfacial D–A percolation also improves the thermodynamic stability of the blend morphology, as evident by the reduced device “burn-in” loss upon solar illumination.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45455-0

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