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Overcoming efficiency and stability limits in water-processing nanoparticular organic photovoltaics by minimizing microstructure defects

Author

Listed:
  • Chen Xie

    (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU))

  • Thomas Heumüller

    (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU))

  • Wolfgang Gruber

    (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU))

  • Xiaofeng Tang

    (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU))

  • Andrej Classen

    (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU))

  • Isabel Schuldes

    (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU))

  • Matthew Bidwell

    (Imperial College London)

  • Andreas Späth

    (Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU))

  • Rainer H. Fink

    (Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU))

  • Tobias Unruh

    (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU))

  • Iain McCulloch

    (Imperial College London
    King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), KSC)

  • Ning Li

    (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU))

  • Christoph J. Brabec

    (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)
    Bavarian Center for Applied Energy Research (ZAE Bayern))

Abstract

There is a strong market driven need for processing organic photovoltaics from eco-friendly solvents. Water-dispersed organic semiconducting nanoparticles (NPs) satisfy these premises convincingly. However, the necessity of surfactants, which are inevitable for stabilizing NPs, is a major obstacle towards realizing competitive power conversion efficiencies for water-processed devices. Here, we report on a concept for minimizing the adverse impact of surfactants on solar cell performance. A poloxamer facilitates the purification of organic semiconducting NPs through stripping excess surfactants from aqueous dispersion. The use of surfactant-stripped NPs based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) / non-fullerene acceptor leads to a device efficiency and stability comparable to the one from devices processed by halogenated solvents. A record efficiency of 7.5% is achieved for NP devices based on a low-band gap polymer system. This elegant approach opens an avenue that future organic photovoltaics processing may be indeed based on non-toxic water-based nanoparticle inks.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen Xie & Thomas Heumüller & Wolfgang Gruber & Xiaofeng Tang & Andrej Classen & Isabel Schuldes & Matthew Bidwell & Andreas Späth & Rainer H. Fink & Tobias Unruh & Iain McCulloch & Ning Li & Christop, 2018. "Overcoming efficiency and stability limits in water-processing nanoparticular organic photovoltaics by minimizing microstructure defects," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-07807-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07807-5
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    Cited by:

    1. Tiefeng Liu & Johanna Heimonen & Qilun Zhang & Chi-Yuan Yang & Jun-Da Huang & Han-Yan Wu & Marc-Antoine Stoeckel & Tom P. A. Pol & Yuxuan Li & Sang Young Jeong & Adam Marks & Xin-Yi Wang & Yuttapoom P, 2023. "Ground-state electron transfer in all-polymer donor:acceptor blends enables aqueous processing of water-insoluble conjugated polymers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.

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