Asymmetric Acceptors Enabling Organic Solar Cells to Achieve an over 17% Efficiency: Conformation Effects on Regulating Molecular Properties and Suppressing Nonradiative Energy Loss

Wei Gao; Huiting Fu; Yuxiang Li; Francis Lin; Rui Sun; Ziang Wu; Xin Wu; Cheng Zhong; Jie Min; Jingdong Luo; Han Young Woo; Zonglong Zhu; Alex K.Y. Jen

doi:10.1002/aenm.202003177

Asymmetric Acceptors Enabling Organic Solar Cells to Achieve an over 17% Efficiency: Conformation Effects on Regulating Molecular Properties and Suppressing Nonradiative Energy Loss

Wei Gao, Huiting Fu, Yuxiang Li, Francis Lin, Rui Sun, Ziang Wu, Xin Wu, Cheng Zhong, Jie Min, Jingdong Luo, Han Young Woo, Zonglong Zhu, Alex K.Y. Jen

Department of Chemistry

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

108 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Y6, as a state-of-the-art nonfullerene acceptor (NFA), is extensively optimized by modifying its side chains and terminal groups. However, the conformation effects on molecular properties and photovoltaic performance of Y6 and its derivatives have not yet been systematically studied. Herein, three Y6 analogs, namely, BP4T-4F, BP5T-4F, and ABP4T-4F, are designed and synthesized. Owing to the asymmetric molecular design strategies, three representative molecular conformations for Y6-type NFAs are obtained through regulating the lateral thiophene orientation of the fused core. It is found that conformation adjustment imposes comprehensive effects on the molecular properties in neat and blend films of these NFAs. As a result, organic solar cells (OSCs) fabricated with PM6:BP4T-4F, PM6:BP5T-4F, and PM6:ABP4T-4F show high power conversion efficiency of 17.1%, 16.7%, and 15.2%, respectively. Interestingly, these NFAs with different conformations also show reduced energy loss (E_loss) in devices via gradually suppressed nonradiative E_loss. Moreover, by employing a selenium-containing analog, CH1007, as the complementary third component, ternary OSCs based on PM6:BP5T-4F:CH1007 (1:1.02:0.18) achieve a 17.2% efficiency. This work helps shed light on engineering the molecular conformation of NFAs to achieve high efficiency OSCs with reduced voltage loss.

Original language	English
Article number	2003177
Journal	Advanced Energy Materials
Volume	11
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202003177
Publication status	Published - 2021 Jan 27

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
W.G. and H.F. contributed equally to this work. A. K.-Y. J. thanks for the sponsorship of the Lee Shau-Kee Chair Professor (Materials Science). This work was supported by the APRC Grant of the City University of Hong Kong (9380086 and 9610421), Innovation and Technology Fund (ITS/497/18FP and GHP/021/18SZ), the Office of Naval Research (N00014-20-1-2191), the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (FA9550-18-1-0046), the ECS grant (CityU 21301319) from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2019A1515010761), Guangdong Major Project of Basic and Applied Basic Research (2019B030302007), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory of Optoelectronic and Magnetic Functional Materials (2019B121205002), and the Fundamental Research (Discipline Arrangement) Project funding from the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee (JCYJ20180507181718203). H.Y.W. is grateful for the financial support from the National Research Foundation (NRF) of Korea (NRF-2016M1A2A2940911 and 2019R1A6A1A11044070).

Funding Information:
W.G. and H.F. contributed equally to this work. A. K.‐Y. J. thanks for the sponsorship of the Lee Shau‐Kee Chair Professor (Materials Science). This work was supported by the APRC Grant of the City University of Hong Kong (9380086 and 9610421), Innovation and Technology Fund (ITS/497/18FP and GHP/021/18SZ), the Office of Naval Research (N00014‐20‐1‐2191), the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (FA9550‐18‐1‐0046), the ECS grant (CityU 21301319) from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2019A1515010761), Guangdong Major Project of Basic and Applied Basic Research (2019B030302007), Guangdong‐Hong Kong‐Macao Joint Laboratory of Optoelectronic and Magnetic Functional Materials (2019B121205002), and the Fundamental Research (Discipline Arrangement) Project funding from the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee (JCYJ20180507181718203). H.Y.W. is grateful for the financial support from the National Research Foundation (NRF) of Korea (NRF‐2016M1A2A2940911 and 2019R1A6A1A11044070).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH

Keywords

asymmetric acceptors
conformation effects
energy loss
organic solar cells

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Materials Science(all)

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1002/aenm.202003177

Cite this

Gao, W., Fu, H., Li, Y., Lin, F., Sun, R., Wu, Z., Wu, X., Zhong, C., Min, J., Luo, J., Woo, H. Y., Zhu, Z., & Jen, A. K. Y. (2021). Asymmetric Acceptors Enabling Organic Solar Cells to Achieve an over 17% Efficiency: Conformation Effects on Regulating Molecular Properties and Suppressing Nonradiative Energy Loss. Advanced Energy Materials, 11(4), Article 2003177. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202003177

Gao, W, Fu, H, Li, Y, Lin, F, Sun, R, Wu, Z, Wu, X, Zhong, C, Min, J, Luo, J, Woo, HY, Zhu, Z & Jen, AKY 2021, 'Asymmetric Acceptors Enabling Organic Solar Cells to Achieve an over 17% Efficiency: Conformation Effects on Regulating Molecular Properties and Suppressing Nonradiative Energy Loss', Advanced Energy Materials, vol. 11, no. 4, 2003177. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202003177

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title = "Asymmetric Acceptors Enabling Organic Solar Cells to Achieve an over 17% Efficiency: Conformation Effects on Regulating Molecular Properties and Suppressing Nonradiative Energy Loss",

abstract = "Y6, as a state-of-the-art nonfullerene acceptor (NFA), is extensively optimized by modifying its side chains and terminal groups. However, the conformation effects on molecular properties and photovoltaic performance of Y6 and its derivatives have not yet been systematically studied. Herein, three Y6 analogs, namely, BP4T-4F, BP5T-4F, and ABP4T-4F, are designed and synthesized. Owing to the asymmetric molecular design strategies, three representative molecular conformations for Y6-type NFAs are obtained through regulating the lateral thiophene orientation of the fused core. It is found that conformation adjustment imposes comprehensive effects on the molecular properties in neat and blend films of these NFAs. As a result, organic solar cells (OSCs) fabricated with PM6:BP4T-4F, PM6:BP5T-4F, and PM6:ABP4T-4F show high power conversion efficiency of 17.1%, 16.7%, and 15.2%, respectively. Interestingly, these NFAs with different conformations also show reduced energy loss (Eloss) in devices via gradually suppressed nonradiative Eloss. Moreover, by employing a selenium-containing analog, CH1007, as the complementary third component, ternary OSCs based on PM6:BP5T-4F:CH1007 (1:1.02:0.18) achieve a 17.2% efficiency. This work helps shed light on engineering the molecular conformation of NFAs to achieve high efficiency OSCs with reduced voltage loss.",

keywords = "asymmetric acceptors, conformation effects, energy loss, organic solar cells",

author = "Wei Gao and Huiting Fu and Yuxiang Li and Francis Lin and Rui Sun and Ziang Wu and Xin Wu and Cheng Zhong and Jie Min and Jingdong Luo and Woo, {Han Young} and Zonglong Zhu and Jen, {Alex K.Y.}",

note = "Funding Information: W.G. and H.F. contributed equally to this work. A. K.-Y. J. thanks for the sponsorship of the Lee Shau-Kee Chair Professor (Materials Science). This work was supported by the APRC Grant of the City University of Hong Kong (9380086 and 9610421), Innovation and Technology Fund (ITS/497/18FP and GHP/021/18SZ), the Office of Naval Research (N00014-20-1-2191), the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (FA9550-18-1-0046), the ECS grant (CityU 21301319) from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2019A1515010761), Guangdong Major Project of Basic and Applied Basic Research (2019B030302007), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory of Optoelectronic and Magnetic Functional Materials (2019B121205002), and the Fundamental Research (Discipline Arrangement) Project funding from the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee (JCYJ20180507181718203). H.Y.W. is grateful for the financial support from the National Research Foundation (NRF) of Korea (NRF-2016M1A2A2940911 and 2019R1A6A1A11044070). Funding Information: W.G. and H.F. contributed equally to this work. A. K.‐Y. J. thanks for the sponsorship of the Lee Shau‐Kee Chair Professor (Materials Science). This work was supported by the APRC Grant of the City University of Hong Kong (9380086 and 9610421), Innovation and Technology Fund (ITS/497/18FP and GHP/021/18SZ), the Office of Naval Research (N00014‐20‐1‐2191), the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (FA9550‐18‐1‐0046), the ECS grant (CityU 21301319) from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2019A1515010761), Guangdong Major Project of Basic and Applied Basic Research (2019B030302007), Guangdong‐Hong Kong‐Macao Joint Laboratory of Optoelectronic and Magnetic Functional Materials (2019B121205002), and the Fundamental Research (Discipline Arrangement) Project funding from the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee (JCYJ20180507181718203). H.Y.W. is grateful for the financial support from the National Research Foundation (NRF) of Korea (NRF‐2016M1A2A2940911 and 2019R1A6A1A11044070). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH",

year = "2021",

month = jan,

day = "27",

doi = "10.1002/aenm.202003177",

language = "English",

volume = "11",

journal = "Advanced Energy Materials",

issn = "1614-6832",

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T1 - Asymmetric Acceptors Enabling Organic Solar Cells to Achieve an over 17% Efficiency

T2 - Conformation Effects on Regulating Molecular Properties and Suppressing Nonradiative Energy Loss

AU - Gao, Wei

AU - Fu, Huiting

AU - Li, Yuxiang

AU - Lin, Francis

AU - Sun, Rui

AU - Wu, Ziang

AU - Wu, Xin

AU - Zhong, Cheng

AU - Min, Jie

AU - Luo, Jingdong

AU - Woo, Han Young

AU - Zhu, Zonglong

AU - Jen, Alex K.Y.

N1 - Funding Information: W.G. and H.F. contributed equally to this work. A. K.-Y. J. thanks for the sponsorship of the Lee Shau-Kee Chair Professor (Materials Science). This work was supported by the APRC Grant of the City University of Hong Kong (9380086 and 9610421), Innovation and Technology Fund (ITS/497/18FP and GHP/021/18SZ), the Office of Naval Research (N00014-20-1-2191), the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (FA9550-18-1-0046), the ECS grant (CityU 21301319) from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2019A1515010761), Guangdong Major Project of Basic and Applied Basic Research (2019B030302007), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory of Optoelectronic and Magnetic Functional Materials (2019B121205002), and the Fundamental Research (Discipline Arrangement) Project funding from the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee (JCYJ20180507181718203). H.Y.W. is grateful for the financial support from the National Research Foundation (NRF) of Korea (NRF-2016M1A2A2940911 and 2019R1A6A1A11044070). Funding Information: W.G. and H.F. contributed equally to this work. A. K.‐Y. J. thanks for the sponsorship of the Lee Shau‐Kee Chair Professor (Materials Science). This work was supported by the APRC Grant of the City University of Hong Kong (9380086 and 9610421), Innovation and Technology Fund (ITS/497/18FP and GHP/021/18SZ), the Office of Naval Research (N00014‐20‐1‐2191), the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (FA9550‐18‐1‐0046), the ECS grant (CityU 21301319) from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2019A1515010761), Guangdong Major Project of Basic and Applied Basic Research (2019B030302007), Guangdong‐Hong Kong‐Macao Joint Laboratory of Optoelectronic and Magnetic Functional Materials (2019B121205002), and the Fundamental Research (Discipline Arrangement) Project funding from the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee (JCYJ20180507181718203). H.Y.W. is grateful for the financial support from the National Research Foundation (NRF) of Korea (NRF‐2016M1A2A2940911 and 2019R1A6A1A11044070). Publisher Copyright: © 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH

PY - 2021/1/27

Y1 - 2021/1/27

N2 - Y6, as a state-of-the-art nonfullerene acceptor (NFA), is extensively optimized by modifying its side chains and terminal groups. However, the conformation effects on molecular properties and photovoltaic performance of Y6 and its derivatives have not yet been systematically studied. Herein, three Y6 analogs, namely, BP4T-4F, BP5T-4F, and ABP4T-4F, are designed and synthesized. Owing to the asymmetric molecular design strategies, three representative molecular conformations for Y6-type NFAs are obtained through regulating the lateral thiophene orientation of the fused core. It is found that conformation adjustment imposes comprehensive effects on the molecular properties in neat and blend films of these NFAs. As a result, organic solar cells (OSCs) fabricated with PM6:BP4T-4F, PM6:BP5T-4F, and PM6:ABP4T-4F show high power conversion efficiency of 17.1%, 16.7%, and 15.2%, respectively. Interestingly, these NFAs with different conformations also show reduced energy loss (Eloss) in devices via gradually suppressed nonradiative Eloss. Moreover, by employing a selenium-containing analog, CH1007, as the complementary third component, ternary OSCs based on PM6:BP5T-4F:CH1007 (1:1.02:0.18) achieve a 17.2% efficiency. This work helps shed light on engineering the molecular conformation of NFAs to achieve high efficiency OSCs with reduced voltage loss.

AB - Y6, as a state-of-the-art nonfullerene acceptor (NFA), is extensively optimized by modifying its side chains and terminal groups. However, the conformation effects on molecular properties and photovoltaic performance of Y6 and its derivatives have not yet been systematically studied. Herein, three Y6 analogs, namely, BP4T-4F, BP5T-4F, and ABP4T-4F, are designed and synthesized. Owing to the asymmetric molecular design strategies, three representative molecular conformations for Y6-type NFAs are obtained through regulating the lateral thiophene orientation of the fused core. It is found that conformation adjustment imposes comprehensive effects on the molecular properties in neat and blend films of these NFAs. As a result, organic solar cells (OSCs) fabricated with PM6:BP4T-4F, PM6:BP5T-4F, and PM6:ABP4T-4F show high power conversion efficiency of 17.1%, 16.7%, and 15.2%, respectively. Interestingly, these NFAs with different conformations also show reduced energy loss (Eloss) in devices via gradually suppressed nonradiative Eloss. Moreover, by employing a selenium-containing analog, CH1007, as the complementary third component, ternary OSCs based on PM6:BP5T-4F:CH1007 (1:1.02:0.18) achieve a 17.2% efficiency. This work helps shed light on engineering the molecular conformation of NFAs to achieve high efficiency OSCs with reduced voltage loss.

KW - asymmetric acceptors

KW - conformation effects

KW - energy loss

KW - organic solar cells

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U2 - 10.1002/aenm.202003177

DO - 10.1002/aenm.202003177

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Asymmetric Acceptors Enabling Organic Solar Cells to Achieve an over 17% Efficiency: Conformation Effects on Regulating Molecular Properties and Suppressing Nonradiative Energy Loss

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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