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Perylene diimide based low band gap copolymers: synthesis, characterization and their applications in perovskite solar cells

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Abstract

In this study, newly designed perylene diimide based polymers P1 and P2 were synthesized and were used as hole transporting materials in place of the more common spiro-OMeTAD in perovskite solar cells. The co-polymers P1-P2 were synthesized by Suzuki and direct arylation polymerizations of 2,9-bis(7-bromo-9,9-dioctyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl)anthra[2,1,9-def:6,5,10-d’e’f’]diisoquinoline-1,3,8,10(2H,9H)-tetrone M1 with 5,11-bis(2-hexyldecyl)-3,9-bis(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)-5,11-dihydoindolo[3,2-b]carbazole M2 and 3-octylthiophene M3, respectively. P1 and P2 exhibit broad absorption spectra in thin film and solution with the absorption extending from the ultraviolet to visible and near infrared region of the solar spectrum. The water contact angles of P1-P2 were determined to be 100.8° and 122.9°, respectively, showing good hydrophobicity for the synthesized copolymers. Both polymers show steady state photoluminescence quenching when blended with perovskite. Perovskite solar cell devices fabricated using P1-P2 in place of spiro-OMeTAD show power conversion efficiencies of 13.02% and 10.74%, respectively and manifest the potential of this class of materials as promising alternatives to conventionally used spiro-OMeTAD.

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Acknowledgements

University Grant Commission, India highly acknowledged by author S.M. for awarding Teacher Research Fellowship under Faculty Improvement Program. Authors are thankful and acknowledging to Department of Science and Technology, India (Project no. SB/SI/OC-12/2013). Authors also want to thank to Nanoscale Research Facility, Central Research Facility and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, I.I.T. Delhi for providing the necessary facilities.

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  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India

    Savita Meena & Josemon Jacob

  2. Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India

    Priyanka Chhillar & Sandeep Pathak

  3. Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Thomson Ave, Cambridge, JJ, CB3 0HE, UK

    Bart Roose

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  1. Savita Meena
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10965_2020_2212_MOESM1_ESM.pdf

†Electronic supplementary material (†ESM) (PDF 691 kb) The supplementary material file of this article includes synthesis of monomer M1 and their characterization details suc as 1H NMR, 13C NMR, MALDI-TOF MS spectra. 1H NMR spectra of P1 and P2 with extended aromatic regions, PL spectra with inset figure, water contact angle graphs and J-V curve without doping of HTMs.

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Meena, S., Chhillar, P., Pathak, S. et al. Perylene diimide based low band gap copolymers: synthesis, characterization and their applications in perovskite solar cells. J Polym Res 27, 226 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-020-02212-3

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