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Rapid phase segregation of P3HT:PCBM composites by thermal annealing for high-performance bulk-heterojunction solar cells

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Abstract

The performances of bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells are investigated for time-dependent thermal annealing with different morphology evolution scales, having special consideration for the diffusion and aggregation of fullerene derivative molecules based on blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene):[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM). Meaningfully, rapid formation of dot-like and needle-like crystalline PCBM structures of a few micrometers up to 60 μm in size is obtained with thermal annealing treatment from 2 to 15 min, which dynamically reflects a fast process of PCBM molecule and cluster aggregation. Upon ultrasonic-assisted processing and annealing treatment, the scale of P3HT crystals is drastically increased in view of X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, leading to a high hole mobility. And, the P3HT domains can be gradually converted into larger P3HT crystals approved by the decreased full width at half-maximum in the XRD patterns. Corresponding current–voltage curves are measured in quantity and we propose a model to explain the effect of the crystalline degree of P3HT domains and aggregation of PCBM molecules and clusters on the phase segregation, expressing a viewpoint towards high performance of BHJ solar cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education, Department of Electronic Science and Technology, School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, P.R. China

    X. Fan, G. J. Fang, P. L. Qin, F. Cheng & X. Z. Zhao

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  1. X. Fan
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  2. G. J. Fang
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  3. P. L. Qin
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  4. F. Cheng
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Correspondence to G. J. Fang.

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Fan, X., Fang, G.J., Qin, P.L. et al. Rapid phase segregation of P3HT:PCBM composites by thermal annealing for high-performance bulk-heterojunction solar cells. Appl. Phys. A 105, 1003–1009 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-011-6533-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-011-6533-7

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