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Effect of Photocrosslinking of D‐A Thiophene Copolymers on the Performance of Single‐Material Solar Cells
Author(s) -
Lanzi Massimiliano,
Salatelli Elisabetta,
Marinelli Martina,
Pierini Filippo
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.201900433
Subject(s) - copolymer , materials science , organic solar cell , fullerene , chemical engineering , polymer , active layer , surface modification , polymer solar cell , acceptor , thiophene , polymer chemistry , photoactive layer , polymerization , annealing (glass) , energy conversion efficiency , nanotechnology , layer (electronics) , chemistry , organic chemistry , optoelectronics , composite material , thin film transistor , physics , condensed matter physics , engineering
Side‐chain C 60 ‐fullerene functionalized alkylthiophene copolymers with different regioregularity and fullerene content are successfully synthesized using a simple and straightforward post‐polymerization functionalization procedure based on a Grignard coupling reaction. The products are employed as single materials in photoactive layers of organic photovoltaic solar cells. The use of double‐cable polymers allows an enhanced control on the nanomorphology of the active blend, reducing the phase‐segregation phenomena as well as the macroscale separation between the electron acceptor and donor components. With the insertion of a thin layer of gold nanoparticles between buffer and active layer of the cells, a conversion efficiency of 5.68% is obtained. Moreover, an increased stability over time is achieved when the copolymers are photocrosslinked immediately after the annealing procedure, leading to acceptable efficiencies even after 80 h of accelerated ageing, a key feature for widespread applicability of the prepared devices.