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 () and Colin Nuckolls ()
Additional contact information
Yu Zhong: Columbia University, 3000 Broadway, Havemeyer Hall, MC3130, New York, New York 10027, USA
M. Tuan Trinh: Columbia University, 3000 Broadway, Havemeyer Hall, MC3130, New York, New York 10027, USA
Rongsheng Chen: Columbia University, 3000 Broadway, Havemeyer Hall, MC3130, New York, New York 10027, USA
Geoffrey E. Purdum: Princeton University
Petr P. Khlyabich: Princeton University
Melda Sezen: Princeton University
Seokjoon Oh: Columbia University, 3000 Broadway, Havemeyer Hall, MC3130, New York, New York 10027, USA
Haiming Zhu: Columbia University, 3000 Broadway, Havemeyer Hall, MC3130, New York, New York 10027, USA
Brandon Fowler: Columbia University, 3000 Broadway, Havemeyer Hall, MC3130, New York, New York 10027, USA
Boyuan Zhang: Columbia University, 3000 Broadway, Havemeyer Hall, MC3130, New York, New York 10027, USA
Wei Wang: Columbia University, 3000 Broadway, Havemeyer Hall, MC3130, New York, New York 10027, USA
Chang-Yong Nam: Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory
Matthew Y. Sfeir: Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory
Charles T. Black: Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory
Michael L. Steigerwald: Columbia University, 3000 Broadway, Havemeyer Hall, MC3130, New York, New York 10027, USA
Yueh-Lin Loo: Princeton University
Fay Ng: Columbia University, 3000 Broadway, Havemeyer Hall, MC3130, New York, New York 10027, USA
X.-Y. Zhu: Columbia University, 3000 Broadway, Havemeyer Hall, MC3130, New York, New York 10027, USA
Colin Nuckolls: Columbia University, 3000 Broadway, Havemeyer Hall, MC3130, New York, New York 10027, USA

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: 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.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9242

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