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Synthesis and photovoltaic properties of non-fullerene solution processable small molecule acceptors

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Abstract

Two non-fullerene small molecules, BT-C6 and BT-C12, based on the vinylene-linked benzothiadiazole-thiophene(BT) moiety flanked with 2-(3,5,5-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-ylidene)malononitrile have been synthesized and characterized by solution/thin film UV-Vis absorption, photoluminescence(PL), and cyclic voltammetry(CV) measurements. The two molecules show intense absorption bands in a wide range from 300 nm to 700 nm and low optical bandgaps for BT-C6(1.60 eV) and for BT-C12(1.67 eV). The lowest unoccupied molecular orbital(LUMO) levels of both the molecules are relatively higher than that of [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester(PCBM), promising high open circuit voltage(V oc) for photovoltaic application. Bulk heterojunction(BHJ) solar cells with poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) as the electron donor and the two molecules as the acceptors were fabricated. Under 100 mW/cm2 AM 1.5 G illumination, the devices based on P3HT:BT-C6(1:1, mass ratio) show a power conversion efficiency(PCE) of 0.67%, a short-circuit current(J sc) of 1.63 mA/cm2, an open circuit voltage(V oc) of 0.74 V, and a fill factor(FF) of 0.56.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, P.R.China

    Hui Li, Zhao-yang Liu, Xiao-yu Zhang, Shi-yu Yao, Shan-peng Wen & Wen-jing Tian

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  1. Hui Li
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  2. Zhao-yang Liu
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  3. Xiao-yu Zhang
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  4. Shi-yu Yao
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  5. Shan-peng Wen
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  6. Wen-jing Tian
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wen-jing Tian.

Additional information

Supported by the State Key Development Program for Basic Research of China(No.2009CB623605), the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.20874035), the “111” Project of China(No.B06009) and the Project of Organic Polymer/Inorganic Nanocomposite Solar Cell Materials of Jilin Province, China(No.20080305).

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Li, H., Liu, Zy., Zhang, Xy. et al. Synthesis and photovoltaic properties of non-fullerene solution processable small molecule acceptors. Chem. Res. Chin. Univ. 29, 596–599 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40242-013-2461-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40242-013-2461-8

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