Mechanically robust all-polymer solar cells enabled by polymerized small molecule acceptors featuring flexible siloxane-spacers

Robust mechanical properties and high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) are both the prerequisites for their application in wearable and stretchable electronics. However, these properties typically encounter a trade-off relationship. Herein, we report the dev...

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Published inJournal of materials chemistry. A, Materials for energy and sustainability Vol. 1; no. 38; pp. 2312 - 2322
Main Authors Lee, Jin-Woo, Lee, Sun-Woo, Kim, Jingwan, Ha, Yeon Hee, Sun, Cheng, Ngoc-Lan Phan, Tan, Lee, Seungjin, Wang, Cheng, Kim, Taek-Soo, Kim, Yun-Hi, Kim, Bumjoon J
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Cambridge Royal Society of Chemistry 04.10.2022
Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Subjects
Ductility
Energy conversion efficiency
Fabrication
Mechanical properties
Photovoltaic cells
Polymerization
Polymers
Reference systems
Robustness
Siloxanes
Solar cells
Spacers
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Summary:Robust mechanical properties and high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) are both the prerequisites for their application in wearable and stretchable electronics. However, these properties typically encounter a trade-off relationship. Herein, we report the development of new polymerized small-molecule acceptors (PSMAs) containing siloxane (SiO)-based flexible spacers (FSs) and demonstrate high-performance and mechanically robust all-PSCs. The introduction of highly flexible SiO-FSs increases the mechanical ductility of all-PSCs. Importantly, the SiO-FS unit enhances the solubility of PSMAs, enabling the fabrication of high-performance all-PSCs by solution processing using a non-halogenated solvent. Therefore, a high PCE (13.5%) and crack-onset strain (COS = 15.2%) are achieved for the all-PSC based on a SiO-FS-containing PSMA (PYSiO-10), which are superior to those of the reference system without SiO-FS (PCE = 9.8% and COS = 9.6%). New polymer acceptors (PYSiO- X ( X = 0-30%)) containing siloxane-based flexible spacers (SiO-FSs) are developed. The resulting halogen-free solvent processed all-polymer solar cells show high photovoltaic efficiency and mechanical robustness.
Bibliography:Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See
https://doi.org/10.1039/d2ta05561a
USDOE
ISSN:2050-7488
2050-7496
DOI:10.1039/d2ta05561a