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Abnormal strong burn-in degradation of highly efficient polymer solar cells caused by spinodal donor-acceptor demixing

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  • Ning Li

    (Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg)

  • José Darío Perea

    (Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg)

  • Thaer Kassar

    (Crystallography and Structural Physics, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg)

  • Moses Richter

    (Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg)

  • Thomas Heumueller

    (Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg)

  • Gebhard J. Matt

    (Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg)

  • Yi Hou

    (Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg
    Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies (SAOT))

  • Nusret S. Güldal

    (Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg)

  • Haiwei Chen

    (Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg)

  • Shi Chen

    (Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg)

  • Stefan Langner

    (Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg)

  • Marvin Berlinghof

    (Crystallography and Structural Physics, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg)

  • Tobias Unruh

    (Crystallography and Structural Physics, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg)

  • Christoph J. Brabec

    (Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg
    Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies (SAOT)
    Bavarian Center for Applied Energy Research (ZAE Bayern))

Abstract

The performance of organic solar cells is determined by the delicate, meticulously optimized bulk-heterojunction microstructure, which consists of finely mixed and relatively separated donor/acceptor regions. Here we demonstrate an abnormal strong burn-in degradation in highly efficient polymer solar cells caused by spinodal demixing of the donor and acceptor phases, which dramatically reduces charge generation and can be attributed to the inherently low miscibility of both materials. Even though the microstructure can be kinetically tuned for achieving high-performance, the inherently low miscibility of donor and acceptor leads to spontaneous phase separation in the solid state, even at room temperature and in the dark. A theoretical calculation of the molecular parameters and construction of the spinodal phase diagrams highlight molecular incompatibilities between the donor and acceptor as a dominant mechanism for burn-in degradation, which is to date the major short-time loss reducing the performance and stability of organic solar cells.

Suggested Citation

  • Ning Li & José Darío Perea & Thaer Kassar & Moses Richter & Thomas Heumueller & Gebhard J. Matt & Yi Hou & Nusret S. Güldal & Haiwei Chen & Shi Chen & Stefan Langner & Marvin Berlinghof & Tobias Unruh, 2017. "Abnormal strong burn-in degradation of highly efficient polymer solar cells caused by spinodal donor-acceptor demixing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-9, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms14541
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14541
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    Cited by:

    1. Han Yu & Yan Wang & Xinhui Zou & Junli Yin & Xiaoyu Shi & Yuhao Li & Heng Zhao & Lingyuan Wang & Ho Ming Ng & Bosen Zou & Xinhui Lu & Kam Sing Wong & Wei Ma & Zonglong Zhu & He Yan & Shangshang Chen, 2023. "Improved photovoltaic performance and robustness of all-polymer solar cells enabled by a polyfullerene guest acceptor," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Yanxun Li & Bo Huang & Xuning Zhang & Jianwei Ding & Yingyu Zhang & Linge Xiao & Boxin Wang & Qian Cheng & Gaosheng Huang & Hong Zhang & Yingguo Yang & Xiaoying Qi & Qiang Zheng & Yuan Zhang & Xiaohui, 2023. "Lifetime over 10000 hours for organic solar cells with Ir/IrOx electron-transporting layer," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Cheng Gong & Haiyun Li & Zhiyuan Xu & Yuheng Li & Huaxin Wang & Qixin Zhuang & Awen Wang & Zhijun Li & Zhihao Guo & Cong Zhang & Baiqian Wang & Xiong Li & Zhigang Zang, 2024. "Efficient and stable inverted perovskite solar cells enabled by homogenized PCBM with enhanced electron transport," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Zhen Wang & Yu Guo & Xianzhao Liu & Wenchao Shu & Guangchao Han & Kan Ding & Subhrangsu Mukherjee & Nan Zhang & Hin-Lap Yip & Yuanping Yi & Harald Ade & Philip C. Y. Chow, 2024. "The role of interfacial donor–acceptor percolation in efficient and stable all-polymer solar cells," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Sri Harish Kumar Paleti & Sandra Hultmark & Jianhua Han & Yuanfan Wen & Han Xu & Si Chen & Emmy Järsvall & Ishita Jalan & Diego Rosas Villalva & Anirudh Sharma & Jafar. I. Khan & Ellen Moons & Ruipeng, 2023. "Hexanary blends: a strategy towards thermally stable organic photovoltaics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    6. Christopher Wöpke & Clemens Göhler & Maria Saladina & Xiaoyan Du & Li Nian & Christopher Greve & Chenhui Zhu & Kaila M. Yallum & Yvonne J. Hofstetter & David Becker-Koch & Ning Li & Thomas Heumüller &, 2022. "Traps and transport resistance are the next frontiers for stable non-fullerene acceptor solar cells," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    7. Baobing Fan & Wei Gao & Xuanhao Wu & Xinxin Xia & Yue Wu & Francis R. Lin & Qunping Fan & Xinhui Lu & Wen Jung Li & Wei Ma & Alex K.-Y. Jen, 2022. "Importance of structural hinderance in performance–stability equilibrium of organic photovoltaics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.

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