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Enhancement of polymer photovoltaic performances by doping with modified carbon black nanoparticles

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Abstract

Low-cost carbon black nanoparticle (CBNP) was chemically modified by grafting with flexible alkyl groups. The modified CBNP (m-CBNP) forms a spider-like cluster with a considerably enhanced solubility, thereby enabling their uniform dispersal into a polymer matrix or active layers of bulk hetero-junction polymer photovoltaic cells, such as a blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and (6,6)-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester. The performance of devices containing the m-CBNP was substantially improved. Charge carrier mobility enhancement was found to play a key role, leading to a 30 % improvement in the short-circuit current of the devices.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded in parts by the NNSF China (21174016, 11474017), FRFCU (2013JBZ004), RFDP (No. 20120009110031).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Optical Information, Ministry of Education, Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, 100044, People’s Republic of China

    Zhi Zhang, Zhiqun He, Min Xu & Chunjun Liang

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  1. Zhi Zhang
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  2. Zhiqun He
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  3. Min Xu
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  4. Chunjun Liang
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Correspondence to Zhiqun He.

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Zhang, Z., He, Z., Xu, M. et al. Enhancement of polymer photovoltaic performances by doping with modified carbon black nanoparticles. Appl. Phys. A 120, 601–607 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-015-9222-0

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