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Unveiling Photovoltaic Performance Enhancement Mechanism of Polymer Solar Cells via Synergistic Effect of Binary Solvent Additives
Author(s) -
Li Pandeng,
Zhang Yuliang,
Yu Ting,
Zhang Qingzhe,
Masse Jean-Philippe,
Yang Yingguo,
Izquierdo Ricardo,
Sun Baoquan,
Ma Dongling
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
solar rrl
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.544
H-Index - 37
ISSN - 2367-198X
DOI - 10.1002/solr.202000239
Subject(s) - materials science , photoactive layer , crystallinity , polymer solar cell , chemical engineering , solvent , polymer , energy conversion efficiency , organic solar cell , photovoltaic system , acceptor , solar cell , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , organic chemistry , chemistry , composite material , ecology , physics , condensed matter physics , engineering , biology
Binary solvent additive engineering is an effective strategy to optimize photoactive films for high‐efficiency organic solar cells, however, the effect of single components on device performance and the combination principle of binary solvent additives remain unclear. Herein, synchrotron‐based grazing incident X‐ray diffraction, Derjaguin–Muller–Toporov modulus imaging, and plasmon energy shift imaging acquired by scanning transmission electron microscopy to investigate the effect of new binary solvent additive of 1,8‐diiodooctane (DIO) and less‐toxic and p‐anisaldehyde (AA) on device performance of solar cells based on poly[(5,6‐difluoro‐2,1,3‐benzothiadiazol‐4,7‐diyl)‐alt‐(3,3‴‐di(2‐octyldodecyl)2,2′;5′,2″;5″,2‴‐quaterthio‐phen‐5,5‴‐diyl)] (PffBT4T‐2OD) and [6,6]‐phenyl‐C61‐butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) are used. It is found that AA mainly favors polymer order and high crystallinity of PffBT4T‐2OD. Differently, DIO mainly enables PC61BM diffusing into PffBT4T‐2OD polymer matrix, leading to enlarged donor–acceptor (D–A) interface. As expected, by combining AA and DIO, the composite film provides large D–A interface and more balanced charge carrier transport. Consequently, their beneficial synergistic effect results in enhanced short circuit current and fill factor, and thereby increased power conversion efficiency of 10.64%, improved by 16% with respect to the control device. Herein, a general mechanism of enhancing device performance via the combination of solvent additives with different contributions to photoactive film is unveiled.