Molecular Intercalation and Cohesion of Organic Bulk Heterojunction Photovoltaic Devices

Bruner, Christopher; Miller, Nichole C.; McGehee, Michael D.; Dauskardt, Reinhold H.

Type

Article

Authors

Bruner, Christopher
Miller, Nichole C.
McGehee, Michael D.
Dauskardt, Reinhold H.

KAUST Grant Number

KUS-C1-015-21

Date

2013-01-17

Online Publication Date

2013-01-17

Print Publication Date

2013-06-13

Permanent link to this record

http://hdl.handle.net/10754/598879

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Abstract

The phase separated bulk heterojunction (BHJ) layer in BHJ polymer:fullerene organic photovoltaic devices (OPV) are mechanically weak with low values of cohesion. Improved cohesion is important for OPV device thermomechanical reliability. BHJ devices are investigated and how fullerene intercalation within the active layer affects cohesive properties in the BHJ is shown. The intercalation of fullerenes between the side chains of the polymers poly(3,3″′-didocecyl quaterthiophene) (PQT-12) and poly(2,5-bis(3-hexadecylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (pBTTT) is shown to enhance BHJ layer cohesion. Cohesion values range from ≈1 to 5 J m -2, depending on the polymer:fullerene blend, processing conditions, and composition. Devices with non-intercalated BHJ layers are found to have significantly reduced values of cohesion. The resulting device power conversion efficiencies (PCE) are also investigated and correlated with the device cohesion. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Citation

Bruner C, Miller NC, McGehee MD, Dauskardt RH (2013) Molecular Intercalation and Cohesion of Organic Bulk Heterojunction Photovoltaic Devices. Advanced Functional Materials 23: 2863–2871. Available: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201202969.

Sponsors

This work was partly supported by the Director, Office of Energy Research, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences Division of the U.S. Department of Energy, under contract no. DE-FG02-10ER46391 and by the Center for Advanced Molecular Photovoltaics (CAMP) supported by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) under award no. KUS-C1-015-21. Portions of this research were carried out at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, a national user facility operated by Stanford University on behalf of the US Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences.