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Morphology and Performance of Poly(2‐methoxy‐5‐(20‐ethyl‐hexyloxy)‐ p ‐phenylenevinylene) (MEH‐PPV):(6,6)‐phenyl‐C 61 ‐butyric Acid Methyl Ester (PCBM) Based Polymer Solar Cells
Author(s) -
Liu Leijing,
Bavel Svetlana van,
Wen Shanpeng,
Yang Xiaoniu,
Loos Joachim
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
chinese journal of chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1614-7065
pISSN - 1001-604X
DOI - 10.1002/cjoc.201300135
Subject(s) - chemistry , polymer solar cell , chlorobenzene , solar cell , dichlorobenzene , energy conversion efficiency , polymer chemistry , polymer , chemical engineering , void (composites) , fullerene , scanning electron microscope , organic solar cell , materials science , organic chemistry , composite material , optoelectronics , engineering , catalysis
Abstract Polymer solar cells were fabricated based on composite films of poly(2‐methoxy‐5‐(2′‐ethyl‐hexyloxy)‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene) (MEH‐PPV):fullerene derivative (6,6)‐phenyl‐C 61 ‐butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) with weight blend ratio of 1:3, 1:4 and 1:5, spin‐coated from chloroform (CF), chlorobenzene (CB), and o ‐dichlorobenzene (ODCB) solutions, respectively. Photoinduced current and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the devices show a dependence on the solvents. The solar cells have the highest PCE at 1:5 blend ratio. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) morphology reveals that there are some voids in MEH‐PPV:PCBM films. The void number decreases with the solvent from CF to CB and ODCB. We found the voids are located at the bottom of the films through electron tomography technique by TEM and film bottom‐side morphology study by atomic force microscopy. The charge carrier transport efficiency and collection efficiency should decrease greatly due to the voids, and the more voids the film has, the more degree the efficiencies decrease. PCE of the solar cell prepared from CF is lower than that of the solar cells prepared from CB and ODCB. The void phenomenon of MEH‐PPV:PCBM based solar cell and method to investigate the void position provide an experimental evidence and research mentality to fabricate polymer solar cell with high performance.