Investigation of phase separation in bulk heterojunction solar cells via supramolecular chemistry

Siram, Raja Bhaskar Kanth and Stephen, Meera and Ali, Farman and Patil, Satish (2013) Investigation of phase separation in bulk heterojunction solar cells via supramolecular chemistry. In: Journal Of Physical Chemistry C, 117 (18). pp. 9129-9136.

	PDF Jou_Phy_Che_C_117-18_9129_2013.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (481kB) | Request a copy
	PDF jp401523u_si_001.pdf - Published Supplemental Material Restricted to Registered users only Download (1MB) | Request a copy

Abstract

In this work, we have prepared two donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) pi-conjugated oligomers to investigate the effect of phase separation on the performance of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. These charge transfer low band gap pi-conjugated oligomers (TTB and NMeTTB) were synthesized by Knoevenagel condensation of terthiophenecarbaldehyde and barbiturate appended pyran derivative. The thin film morphology of both the oligomers and along with electron acceptor 6,6]-phenyl-C60-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) was investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The blend of NMeTTB and PC61BM thin film yield highly ordered thin film, whereas there was clear phase separation between TTB and PC61BM in thin film. The BHJ solar cell was fabricated using a blend of NMeTTB and TTB with PC61BM acceptor in 1:1 ratio as active layer, and a power conversion efficiency of 1.8% was obtained. This device characteristic was compared with device having TTB:PC61BM as active layer, and large difference is observed in photocurrents. This poor performance of TTB in BHJ devices was attributed to the difference in the nanoscale morphology of the corresponding derivatives. We rationalize our findings based on the low charge carrier mobility in organic field-effect transistors and miscibility/phase separation parameter of binary components (oligomers and PC61BM) in the active layer of bulk heterojunction solar cells.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Journal Of Physical Chemistry C
Publisher:	American Chemical Society
Additional Information:	Copyright of this article belongs to American Chemical Society.
Department/Centre:	Division of Chemical Sciences > Solid State & Structural Chemistry Unit
Date Deposited:	05 Jul 2013 05:57
Last Modified:	05 Jul 2013 05:57
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/46789

Actions (login required)

View Item