Readily Accessible Benzo[d]thiazole Polymers for Nonfullerene Solar Cells with >16% Efficiency and Potential Pitfalls

Liang Wen Feng, Jianhua Chen, Subhrangsu Mukherjee, Vinod K. Sangwan, Wei Huang, Yao Chen, Ding Zheng, Joseph W. Strzalka, Gang Wang, Mark C. Hersam*, Mark C. Hersam*, Mark C. Hersam*, Dean Delongchamp*, Antonio Facchetti*, Tobin J. Marks*, Tobin J. Marks*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

38 Scopus citations

Abstract

Here we report facile, high-yield synthetic access to the difluoro BTA building block, 4,7-bis(5-bromo-4-(2-hexyl-decyl)-thiophen-2-yl)-5,6-difluoro-2-(pentadecan-7-yl)-benzo[d]thiazole (BTAT-2f), for use in donor (D)-acceptor 1 (A1)-D-acceptor 2 (A2) polymers [D = bithiophene; A1 = BTA-2f; A2 = benzothiadiazole (BT) derivative] for organic solar cells (OSCs). Fine tuning of polymer optical and electronic properties is achieved by incrementally varying the A2 fluorination level. Bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) PBTATBT-4f:Y6 solar cells deliver a noteworthy power conversion (PCE) efficiency of 16.08% (Voc = 0.81 V; Jsc = 27.25 mAcm-2 FF = 72.70%) without processing additives. In contrast, PBTATBT-2f:Y6 exhibits an irregular morphology and low PCE, ascribable to cocrystal formation-induced recombination, which is unprecedented for nonfullerene (NFA) OSCs. This result should be of guiding significance for future NFA design.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1780-1787
Number of pages8
JournalACS Energy Letters
Volume5
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 12 2020

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Chemistry (miscellaneous)
  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • Fuel Technology
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology
  • Materials Chemistry

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