Open AccessSynthesis and characterization of a thiadiazole/benzoimidazole‐based copolymer for solar cell applications
Author(s) -
Chen Guanyu,
Lan Shangche,
Lin Poyu,
Chu Chihwei,
Wei Kunghwa
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of polymer science part a: polymer chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.768
H-Index - 152
eISSN - 1099-0518
pISSN - 0887-624X
DOI - 10.1002/pola.24235
Subject(s) - copolymer , homo/lumo , polymer , polymer solar cell , polymer chemistry , materials science , band gap , solar cell , energy conversion efficiency , organic solar cell , open circuit voltage , imidazole , carbazole , chemical engineering , chemistry , photochemistry , molecule , optoelectronics , organic chemistry , physics , voltage , quantum mechanics , engineering , composite material
In this study, we synthesized a new polymer, PCTDBI , containing alternating carbazole and thiadiazole‐benzoimidazole (TDBI) units. This polymer (number‐average molecular weight = 25,600 g mol −1 ), which features a planar imidazole structure into the polymeric main chain, possesses reasonably good thermal properties ( T g = 105 °C; T d = 396 °C) and an optical band gap of 1.75 eV that matches the maximum photon flux of sunlight. Electrochemical measurements revealed an appropriate energy band offset between the polymer's lowest unoccupied molecular orbital and that of PCBM, thereby allowing efficient electron transfer between the two species. A solar cell device incorporating PCTDBI and PCBM at a blend ratio of 1:2 (w/w) exhibited a power conversion efficiency of 1.20%; the corresponding device incorporating PCTDBI and PC 71 BM (1:2, w/w) exhibited a PCE of 1.84%. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010
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