Synthesis and photovoltaic properties of phthalocyanine end-capped copolymers with conjugated dithienylbenzothiadiazole–vinylene side chains

• Published in: European polymer journal Vol. 48; no. 10; pp. 1805 - 1813
• Main Authors: Huang, Hongyan, Cao, Zhencai, Gu, Zhaojie, Li, Xinwei, Zhao, Bin, Shen, Ping, Tan, Songting
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Chains (polymeric); Copolymers; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Illumination; Natural energy; Organic polymers; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic conversion; Photovoltaic properties; Phthalocyanine; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymer solar cells; Polymerization; Polymers with particular properties; Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts; Solar cells; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; Synthesis; Thermal stability; Ultraviolet; Phthalocyanine; Synthesis; Polymer solar cells; Photovoltaic properties; Fullerene compounds; End group; Zinc complex; Photoluminescence; Organic solar cells; Fill factor; Thermal stability; Optical properties; Aromatic copolymer; Alternating copolymer; Thiophene derivative copolymer; Optical absorption; Stille coupling; Short circuit currents; Solution polycondensation; Experimental study; Open circuit voltage; Electrochemical properties; Conjugated copolymer; Metallophthalocyanine; Preparation
• ISSN: 0014-3057; 1873-1945
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2012.06.016

[Display omitted] ► Two novel phthalocyanine end-capped copolymers were synthesized and applied in PSCs. ► The soluble phthalocyanine derivatives were synthesized by employing the cheap materials. ► The copolymers show a broad absorption bands and a deep HOMO energy levels. Two phthalocyanine end-capped copolymers with conjugated dithienylbenzothiadiazole–vinylene side chains, PHY1 and PHY2, have been synthesized according to the Stille–Coupling polymerization method. The structures, thermostability, optical and electrochemical properties of the copolymers were characterized via NMR, GPC, TGA, DSC, UV–vis, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry (CV), respectively. The two copolymers exhibit excellent film-forming ability and good thermostability in a wide temperature range. PHY1 and PHY2 end-capped with different phthalocyanines showed broad absorption bands ranging from the ultraviolet to the red/near-infrared (IR) region of the solar spectrum and deep HOMO energy levels. Bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells were fabricated based on PHY1 and PHY2 with [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) as the electron acceptor and showed power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of 1.56% and 1.26%, respectively, under the illumination of AM 1.5, 100mW/100cm2.