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Transforming Ionene Polymers into Efficient Cathode Interlayers with Pendent Fullerenes
Author(s) -
Liu Yao,
Sheri Madhu,
Cole Marcus D.,
Yu Duk Man,
Emrick Todd,
Russell Thomas P.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201901536
Subject(s) - cathode , fullerene , organic solar cell , materials science , acceptor , active layer , nanotechnology , polymer , organic semiconductor , work function , layer (electronics) , energy conversion efficiency , conductive polymer , chemical engineering , optoelectronics , chemistry , organic chemistry , composite material , physics , thin film transistor , engineering , condensed matter physics
Abstract A new and highly efficient cathode interlayer material for organic photovoltaics (OPVs) was produced by integrating C 60 fullerene monomers into ionene polymers. The power of these novel “C 60 ‐ionenes” for interface modification enables the use of numerous high work‐function metals (e.g., silver, copper, and gold) as the cathode in efficient OPV devices. C 60 ‐ionene boosted power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of solar cells, fabricated with silver cathodes, from 2.79 % to 10.51 % for devices with a fullerene acceptor in the active layer, and from 3.89 % to 11.04 % for devices with a non‐fullerene acceptor in the active layer, demonstrating the versatility of this interfacial layer. The introduction of fullerene moieties dramatically improved the conductivity of ionene polymers, affording devices with high efficiency by reducing charge accumulation at the cathode/active layer interface. The power of C 60 ‐ionene to improve electron injection and extraction between metal electrodes and organic semiconductors highlights its promise to overcome energy barriers at the hard‐soft materials interface to the benefit of organic electronics.