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Study of interface chemistry between the carrier-transporting layers and their influences on the stability and performance of organic solar cells

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Abstract

This is the first study that described how the interface interactions of graphene oxide (GO) with poly(3-hexylthiophene): 3′H-cyclopropa [8,25] [5,6] fullerene-C60-D5h(6)-3′-butanoic acid 3′-phenyl methyl ester (PCBM) and with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) are influencing the stability and performance of poly(3-hexylthiophene): poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) (P3HT:PCBM)-based organic solar cell. The interface functionalization of these carrier-transporting layers was confirmed by XRD pattern, XPS analysis, and Raman spectroscopy. These interfaces chemical bond formation helped to firmly attach the GO layer with PCBM and PEDOT:PSS layers, forming a strong barrier against water molecule absorption and also provided an easy pathway for fast transfer of free carriers between P3HT:PCBM layer and metal electrodes via the backbone of the conjugated GO sheets. Because of these interface interactions, the device fabricated with PCBM/GO composite as an electron transport layer and GO/PEDOT:PSS composite as hole transport layer demonstrated a remarkable improvement in the value of power conversion efficiency (5.34%) and reproducibility with a high degree of control over the environmental stability (600 h). This study is paving a way for a new technique to further improve the stability and PCE for the commercialization of OSCs.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the ministry of Education (NRF-2017R1D1A1B03030456).

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  1. Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Dongguk University-Seoul, Seoul, 04620, Republic of Korea

    Muhammad Hilal & Jeong In Han

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Hilal, M., Han, J.I. Study of interface chemistry between the carrier-transporting layers and their influences on the stability and performance of organic solar cells. Appl Nanosci 8, 1325–1341 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13204-018-0818-5

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