A molecular nematic liquid crystalline material for high-performance organic photovoltaics

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, Wallace W.H. Wong () and David J. Jones ()
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Kuan Sun: School of Chemistry, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
Zeyun Xiao: School of Chemistry, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
Shirong Lu: School of Chemistry, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
Wojciech Zajaczkowski: Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
Wojciech Pisula: Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
Eric Hanssen: Advanced Microscopy Facility, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
Jonathan M. White: School of Chemistry, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
Rachel M. Williamson: MX Beamlines, Australian Synchrotron, 800 Blackburn Road, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
Jegadesan Subbiah: School of Chemistry, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
Jianyong Ouyang: National University of Singapore, 7 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117574, Singapore
Andrew B. Holmes: School of Chemistry, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
Wallace W.H. Wong: School of Chemistry, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
David J. Jones: School of Chemistry, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Solution-processed organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) hold great promise to enable roll-to-roll printing of environmentally friendly, mechanically flexible and cost-effective photovoltaic devices. Nevertheless, many high-performing systems show best power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) with a thin active layer (thickness is ~100 nm) that is difficult to translate to roll-to-roll processing with high reproducibility. Here we report a new molecular donor, benzodithiophene terthiophene rhodanine (BTR), which exhibits good processability, nematic liquid crystalline behaviour and excellent optoelectronic properties. A maximum PCE of 9.3% is achieved under AM 1.5G solar irradiation, with fill factor reaching 77%, rarely achieved in solution-processed OPVs. Particularly promising is the fact that BTR-based devices with active layer thicknesses up to 400 nm can still afford high fill factor of ~70% and high PCE of ~8%. Together, the results suggest, with better device architectures for longer device lifetime, BTR is an ideal candidate for mass production of OPVs.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7013

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