Asymmetrically Substituted 10H,10′H‐9,9′‐Spirobi[acridine] Derivatives as Hole‐Transporting Materials for Perovskite Solar Cells

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vol. 61; no. 48
• Main Authors: Xia, Jianxing, Zhang, Yi, Cavazzini, Marco, Orlandi, Simonetta, Ding, Bin, Kanda, Hiroyuki, Klipfel, Nadja, Gao, Xiao‐Xin, Ul Ain, Qurat, Jankauskas, Vygintas, Rakstys, Kasparas, Hu, Ruiyuan, Qiu, Zeliang, Asiri, Abdullah M., Kim, Hobeom, Dyson, Paul J., Pozzi, Gianluca, Khaja Nazeeruddin, Mohammad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: WEINHEIM Wiley 25.11.2022; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: 3,6-Dimethoxy-9H-Carbazole Acridine; Acridine; Bis(4-Methoxyphenyl)Amine Acridine; Carbazole; Carbazoles; Chemistry; Chemistry, Multidisciplinary; Energy conversion efficiency; Hole mobility; Hole Transporting Materials; Perovskite Solar Cells; Perovskite Solar Modules; Perovskites; Photovoltaic cells; Physical Sciences; Science & Technology; Solar cells; Transportation; Work functions; 3; PASSIVATION; DOPANT-FREE; Hole Transporting Materials; Bis(4-Methoxyphenyl)Amine Acridine; Perovskite Solar Modules; Perovskite Solar Cells; EFFICIENCY; 6-Dimethoxy-9H-Carbazole Acridine
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.202212891

Hole‐transporting materials (HTMs) based on the 10H, 10′H‐9,9′‐spirobi [acridine] core (BSA50 and BSA51) were synthesized, and their electronic properties were explored. Experimental and theoretical studies show that the presence of rigid 3,6‐dimethoxy‐9H‐carbazole moieties in BSA 50 brings about improved hole mobility and higher work function compared to bis(4‐methoxyphenyl)amine units in BSA51, which increase interfacial hole transportation from perovskite to HTM. As a result, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) based on BSA50 boost power conversion efficiency (PCE) to 22.65 %, and a PSC module using BSA50 HTM exhibits a PCE of 21.35 % (6.5×7 cm) with a Voc of 8.761 V and FF of 79.1 %. The unencapsulated PSCs exhibit superior stability to devices employing spiro‐OMeTAD, retaining nearly 90 % of their initial efficiency after 1000 h operation output. This work demonstrates the high potential of molecularly engineered spirobi[acridine] derivatives as HTMs as replacements for spiro‐OMeTAD. The 10H,10′H‐9,9′‐spirobi[acridine] core including moieties featuring two non‐equivalent N‐substituted‐9,10‐dihydroacridine subunits with different structural and electronic characteristics were designed as HTMs of PSCs. The planar 3,6‐dimethoxy‐9H‐carbazole units based HTM (BSA50) not only exhibits better electronic properties, but also results in better passivating capability for the perovskite trap states via stronger donor ability.