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Dodecyl-substituted poly(3,4-ethylenedioxyselenophene): polymerization and its solution-processable applications for electrochromic and organic solar cells

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Abstract

Considering the significant synthetic efforts for the preparation of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and its soluble derivatives, very little is known about poly(3,4-ethylenedioxyselenophene) (PEDOS), especially for soluble polymers. Here, we report the synthesis of soluble dodecyl-substituted poly(3,4-ethylenedioxyselenophene) (PEDOS-C12) by two different chemical polymerization methods- transition metal-mediated and Grignard metathesis (GRIM). The polymer PEDOS-C12 prepared by GRIM was characterized using NMR, gel permeation chromatography, UV–vis-NIR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and shows high conductivity. The obtained neutral polymer PEDOS-C12 (hydrazine-dedoped) prepared by GRIM was used for spray processable electrochromic property and organic solar cells. The optical contrast ratio and coloration efficiency of the polymer film were found to be 20.8% and 131.9 cm2/C at 770 nm. The photovoltaic device was fabricated using solution-processable PEDOS-C12 as hole transport layer (HTL) with the simple geometry ITO/PEDOS-C12(HTL)/P3HT:PC61BM/Al and achieved a power conversion efficiency up to ~ 0.52% under ambient conditions.

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Acknowledgements

S. N. acknowledges SERI-DST, New Delhi and P. Y. acknowledges CSIR, New Delhi, for their fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Photovoltaic Metrology Section, Advanced Materials & Metrology Devices Division, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, Dr. K. S. Krishnan Marg, New Delhi, 110012, India

    Sheerin Naqvi, Preeti Yadav & Asit Patra

  2. Chemical Science and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat, 785006, Assam, India

    Pallab Pahari

  3. Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India

    Sheerin Naqvi, Preeti Yadav, Pallab Pahari & Asit Patra

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  1. Sheerin Naqvi
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Naqvi, S., Yadav, P., Pahari, P. et al. Dodecyl-substituted poly(3,4-ethylenedioxyselenophene): polymerization and its solution-processable applications for electrochromic and organic solar cells. J Polym Res 28, 250 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-021-02609-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-021-02609-8

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