Effect of asymmetric solubility of diketopyrrolopyrrole-based polymers and PC71BMs in a binary solvent system on the performance of bulk heterojunction solar cells

Seon Kyoung Son; Hyo Sang Lee; Jae Seung Ha; Kyung Hwan Kim; Hae Jung Son; Min Jae Ko; Honggon Kim; Doh Kwon Lee; Jin Young Kim; Wonmok Lee; Sungnam Park; Dong Hoon Choi; Bongsoo Kim

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2014.02.011

Effect of asymmetric solubility of diketopyrrolopyrrole-based polymers and PC₇₁BMs in a binary solvent system on the performance of bulk heterojunction solar cells

Seon Kyoung Son, Hyo Sang Lee, Jae Seung Ha, Kyung Hwan Kim, Hae Jung Son, Min Jae Ko, Honggon Kim, Doh Kwon Lee, Jin Young Kim, Wonmok Lee, Sungnam Park, Dong Hoon Choi, Bongsoo Kim

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

10 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this study, we demonstrated the effective morphological control of polymer:fullerene blends using three separate solvent systems: chloroform (CF), CF:1,8-diiodooctane (DIO), and CF:o-dichlorobenzene (ODCB). The polymer:fullerene blends are composed of two diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based polymers of P(DPP-alt-QT) and P(DPP-alt-DTBSe) and a fullerene derivative of [6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC₇₁BM), i.e., P(DPP-alt-QT):PC₇₁BM or P(DPP-alt-DTBSe):PC₇₁BM. The CF:ODCB binary solvent exhibited the best photovoltaic performance among the three solvent systems for both polymer-based devices, although the CF:DIO also exhibited an improved performance compared to the CF system. By examining film morphology of the blend films, we found that the CF:ODCB enabled the most optimal nanoscale phase separation and the morphological features were strongly affected by the solubility of each material in the high boiling-point (BP) solvent. Specifically, the polymers have limited but slightly higher solubility in ODCB than in DIO, while the PC₇₁BM molecules have a high solubility in both DIO and ODCB. Therefore, this work highlights that the optimally asymmetric solubility of each photoactive component in the high BP solvent is a critical factor to form the nanoscale, bicontinuous domains in the blend films and thereby to determine the performance of photovoltaic devices.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	232-240
Number of pages	9
Journal	Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
Volume	124
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2014.02.011
Publication status	Published - 2014 May

Keywords

Binary solvent system
Hole mobility
Morphology
Organic photovoltaics
Polymer solar cell
Power conversion efficiency

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Surfaces, Coatings and Films

UN SDGs

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

Access to Document

10.1016/j.solmat.2014.02.011

Cite this

Son, S. K., Lee, H. S., Ha, J. S., Kim, K. H., Son, H. J., Ko, M. J., Kim, H., Lee, D. K., Kim, J. Y., Lee, W., Park, S., Choi, D. H., & Kim, B. (2014). Effect of asymmetric solubility of diketopyrrolopyrrole-based polymers and PC₇₁BMs in a binary solvent system on the performance of bulk heterojunction solar cells. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 124, 232-240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2014.02.011

Son, SK, Lee, HS, Ha, JS, Kim, KH, Son, HJ, Ko, MJ, Kim, H, Lee, DK, Kim, JY, Lee, W, Park, S , Choi, DH & Kim, B 2014, 'Effect of asymmetric solubility of diketopyrrolopyrrole-based polymers and PC₇₁BMs in a binary solvent system on the performance of bulk heterojunction solar cells', Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, vol. 124, pp. 232-240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2014.02.011

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title = "Effect of asymmetric solubility of diketopyrrolopyrrole-based polymers and PC71BMs in a binary solvent system on the performance of bulk heterojunction solar cells",

abstract = "In this study, we demonstrated the effective morphological control of polymer:fullerene blends using three separate solvent systems: chloroform (CF), CF:1,8-diiodooctane (DIO), and CF:o-dichlorobenzene (ODCB). The polymer:fullerene blends are composed of two diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based polymers of P(DPP-alt-QT) and P(DPP-alt-DTBSe) and a fullerene derivative of [6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM), i.e., P(DPP-alt-QT):PC71BM or P(DPP-alt-DTBSe):PC71BM. The CF:ODCB binary solvent exhibited the best photovoltaic performance among the three solvent systems for both polymer-based devices, although the CF:DIO also exhibited an improved performance compared to the CF system. By examining film morphology of the blend films, we found that the CF:ODCB enabled the most optimal nanoscale phase separation and the morphological features were strongly affected by the solubility of each material in the high boiling-point (BP) solvent. Specifically, the polymers have limited but slightly higher solubility in ODCB than in DIO, while the PC71BM molecules have a high solubility in both DIO and ODCB. Therefore, this work highlights that the optimally asymmetric solubility of each photoactive component in the high BP solvent is a critical factor to form the nanoscale, bicontinuous domains in the blend films and thereby to determine the performance of photovoltaic devices.",

keywords = "Binary solvent system, Hole mobility, Morphology, Organic photovoltaics, Polymer solar cell, Power conversion efficiency",

author = "Son, {Seon Kyoung} and Lee, {Hyo Sang} and Ha, {Jae Seung} and Kim, {Kyung Hwan} and Son, {Hae Jung} and Ko, {Min Jae} and Honggon Kim and Lee, {Doh Kwon} and Kim, {Jin Young} and Wonmok Lee and Sungnam Park and Choi, {Dong Hoon} and Bongsoo Kim",

year = "2014",

month = may,

doi = "10.1016/j.solmat.2014.02.011",

language = "English",

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pages = "232--240",

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T1 - Effect of asymmetric solubility of diketopyrrolopyrrole-based polymers and PC71BMs in a binary solvent system on the performance of bulk heterojunction solar cells

AU - Son, Seon Kyoung

AU - Lee, Hyo Sang

AU - Ha, Jae Seung

AU - Kim, Kyung Hwan

AU - Son, Hae Jung

AU - Ko, Min Jae

AU - Kim, Honggon

AU - Lee, Doh Kwon

AU - Kim, Jin Young

AU - Lee, Wonmok

AU - Park, Sungnam

AU - Choi, Dong Hoon

AU - Kim, Bongsoo

PY - 2014/5

Y1 - 2014/5

N2 - In this study, we demonstrated the effective morphological control of polymer:fullerene blends using three separate solvent systems: chloroform (CF), CF:1,8-diiodooctane (DIO), and CF:o-dichlorobenzene (ODCB). The polymer:fullerene blends are composed of two diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based polymers of P(DPP-alt-QT) and P(DPP-alt-DTBSe) and a fullerene derivative of [6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM), i.e., P(DPP-alt-QT):PC71BM or P(DPP-alt-DTBSe):PC71BM. The CF:ODCB binary solvent exhibited the best photovoltaic performance among the three solvent systems for both polymer-based devices, although the CF:DIO also exhibited an improved performance compared to the CF system. By examining film morphology of the blend films, we found that the CF:ODCB enabled the most optimal nanoscale phase separation and the morphological features were strongly affected by the solubility of each material in the high boiling-point (BP) solvent. Specifically, the polymers have limited but slightly higher solubility in ODCB than in DIO, while the PC71BM molecules have a high solubility in both DIO and ODCB. Therefore, this work highlights that the optimally asymmetric solubility of each photoactive component in the high BP solvent is a critical factor to form the nanoscale, bicontinuous domains in the blend films and thereby to determine the performance of photovoltaic devices.

AB - In this study, we demonstrated the effective morphological control of polymer:fullerene blends using three separate solvent systems: chloroform (CF), CF:1,8-diiodooctane (DIO), and CF:o-dichlorobenzene (ODCB). The polymer:fullerene blends are composed of two diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based polymers of P(DPP-alt-QT) and P(DPP-alt-DTBSe) and a fullerene derivative of [6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM), i.e., P(DPP-alt-QT):PC71BM or P(DPP-alt-DTBSe):PC71BM. The CF:ODCB binary solvent exhibited the best photovoltaic performance among the three solvent systems for both polymer-based devices, although the CF:DIO also exhibited an improved performance compared to the CF system. By examining film morphology of the blend films, we found that the CF:ODCB enabled the most optimal nanoscale phase separation and the morphological features were strongly affected by the solubility of each material in the high boiling-point (BP) solvent. Specifically, the polymers have limited but slightly higher solubility in ODCB than in DIO, while the PC71BM molecules have a high solubility in both DIO and ODCB. Therefore, this work highlights that the optimally asymmetric solubility of each photoactive component in the high BP solvent is a critical factor to form the nanoscale, bicontinuous domains in the blend films and thereby to determine the performance of photovoltaic devices.

KW - Binary solvent system

KW - Hole mobility

KW - Morphology

KW - Organic photovoltaics

KW - Polymer solar cell

KW - Power conversion efficiency

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U2 - 10.1016/j.solmat.2014.02.011

DO - 10.1016/j.solmat.2014.02.011

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84897821422

SN - 0927-0248

VL - 124

SP - 232

EP - 240

JO - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

JF - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

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