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New breakthroughs are expecting to be achieved based on the discovery of novel interfacial materials for polymer solar cells (PSCs). Herein, the simple and facial approach of spin-coating technology with post heat and ultraviolet-ozone treatment is performed on niobium oxalate to prepare Nb 2 O 5 interfacial layer with ultra-high transmittance. The ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy results confirm that Nb 2 O 5 with a work function of 4.85 eV is suitable for employing as anode buffer layer (ABL). The average power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of the P3HT:PCBM-based fullerene devices with Nb 2 O 5 ABL reaches to 4.01%, surpassing that (3.69%) of the control devices with ITO/PEDOT:PSS ABL. Further investigations on the PBDB-T:ITIC-based non-fullerene PSCs with Nb 2 O 5 ABL demonstrate that a PCE as high as 8.67% can be reached, which is superior to that of device modified by PEDOT:PSS ABL (8.03%). Namely, 8% efficiency improvement in PSCs based on fullerene and non-fullerene acceptors realized as compared to the control devices with PEDOT:PSS ABL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For polymer solar cells (PSCs), the interfaces between the back and front contacts with the photoactive layer play a crucial role for charge extraction. Herein, we demonstrate high performance PSCs with dual functional tantalum methoxide (Ta-OMe) cathode interfacial layer, which can reduce the interface energy barrier and form a light trapping structure with reflective metal electrode. The energy level of Ta-OMe is investigated by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). The composition of the Ta-OMe film is confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The surface morphologies of the photoactive layer with and without Ta-OMe layer are measured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and tapping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM). Three polymer donors with different band gaps and two classical fullerene acceptors were selected as photoactive materials for fabrication PSCs. The PSCs with Ta-OMe interfacial layer exhibit superior performance in comparison with devices which Al and Ca/Al based devices. The great enhancement in J sc is associated with additional absorption (Δα Abs ) and the additional EQE (Δα EQE ). The four parameters of V oc , J sc , FF, and PCE for device with Ta-OMe reach 0.80 V, 18.55 mA/cm 2 , 70%, and 10.18%, respectively, among the best values reported for PTB7-Th:PC 70 BM based PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High efficiency polymer solar cells using solution processed s‐ReOx as the anode buffer layer are demonstrated. The s‐ReOx layer can effectively change the light distribution within the photoactive layer and enhance its absorption. The solution‐processable s‐ReOx is a promising anode buffer layer material for high performance PSCs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Novel bromine-functionalized photocrosslinkable low-bandgap copolymers, PBDTTT-Br25 and PBDTTT-Br50, are synthesized via Stille cross-coupling polymerization for the purpose of stabilizing the film morphology in polymer solar cells (PSCs). Photocrosslinking of PBDTTT-Br25 and PBDTTT-Br50 copolymers dramatically improves the solvent resistance of the active layer without disrupting the molecular ordering and charge transport, which is confirmed by the insolubility of the films washed by organic solvents and by their thermal behavior. As a result, the formation of large aggregations of fullerene is suppressed in polymer:fullerene blend films even after prolonged thermal annealing, and the stability of the device is enhanced when compared with cells based on noncrosslinkable PBDTTT. The power conversion efficiency of the PSCs based on PBDTTT-Br25 and PBDTTT-Br50 reaches 5.17% and 4.48%, respectively, which is improved obviously in comparison with that (4.26%) of the PSCs based on the control polymer PBDTTT. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 3123-3131 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We demonstrate efficient polymer solar cells (PSCs) based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and fullerene derivatives ether Indene-C60 Bisadduct (IC60BA) or Indene-C70 Bisadduct (IC70BA)) by using solution-processed titanium(IV) oxide bis(2,4-pentanedionate) (TOPD) as electron collection layer (ECL) between the Al cathode and photoactive layer. The TOPD buffer layer was simply prepared by spin-coating isopropanol solution of TOPD on active layer and then baked at 80°C for 15min. The short-circuit current density (Jsc ) and the open-circuit voltage (Voc ) of the devices can be simultaneously and significantly improved by optimizing the electron collection layer, the photoactive layer and the device fabrication conditions. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the P3HT:IC60BA BHJ device with TOPD buffer layer reaches 5.0% under the illumination of AM1.5G, 100mW/cm2, which is increased by 27% in comparison with that (3.9%) of the device without TOPD buffer layer under the same experimental conditions. When IC70BA was chosen instead of IC60BA, the BHJ device could show better performance with PCE of 5.59%. The results indicate that TOPD is a promising electron collection layer for PSCs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We demonstrate efficient inverted polymer solar cells (PSCs) based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) by using solution-processed titanium(IV) oxide bis(2,4-pentanedionate) (TOPD) as electron collection layer (ECL) between the indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode and photoactive layer. The TOPD buffer layer was prepared by spin-coating isopropanol solution of TOPD on ITO and then baked at 140°C for 5min. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the inverted PSC with TOPD buffer layer reaches 4% under the illumination of AM1.5G, 100mW/cm2, which is increased by 76% in comparison with that (2.27%) of the inverted device without TOPD ECL. The results indicate that TOPD is a promising electron collection layer for inverted PSCs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Light management is important for improving light absorption within active layers in polymer solar cells (PSCs). Electrode buffer layers play an important role in modulating the distribution of optical electric filed within the photoactive layer. Herein, the authors employ solution‐processed WOx or ReOx to substitute the acidic poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as the anode buffer layer and ZrAcac or HfAcac to replace Mg as the cathode buffer layer. Optical transfer matrix formalism simulation is used to model the absorption spectra, exciton generation rate, and optical electric field distribution of devices. Simulated results shows that stronger absorption, quicker exciton generation rate, and more reasonable photoelectric field distribution can be achieved in the photoactive layer with solution‐processed buffer layer modification, which results in a higher short‐circuit current density (Jsc). Under the guidance of theoretical simulation, the device with architecture of ITO/WOx/PTB7‐Th:PC71BM/HfAcac/Al is optimized. Compared with the traditional PEDOT:PSS‐Mg based device, the Jsc is increased from 16.60 to 18.61 mA cm−2 and the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) is increased from 9.02% to 10.60% for the device with WOx‐HfAcac modification, which is among the best values reported for fullerene‐based PSCs. The good agreement between simulated and experimental results indicates that optical model is a useful tool for device design and optimization. Optical transfer matrix formalism simulation is used to model the absorption spectra, exciton generation rate, and optical electric field distribution of the polymer solar cells based on PTB7‐Th:PC71BM. High performance devices are obtained under the guidance of optical transfer matrix formalism simulation. An optimum PCE of 10.60% is obtained with the device based on the WOx‐HfAcac buffer layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphology of the photoactive layer critically affects the performance of the bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells (PSCs). To control the morphology, we introduced a hydrophobic fluoropolymer polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as nonvolatile additive into the P3HT:PCBM active layer. The effect of PVDF on the surface and the bulk morphology were investigated by atomic force microscope and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. Through the repulsive interactions between the hydrophilic PCBM and the hydrophobic PVDF, much more uniform phase separation with good P3HT crystallinity is formed within the active layer, resulting enhanced light harvesting and improved photovoltaic performance in conventional devices. The PCE of the conventional device can improve from 2.40% to 3.07% with PVDF additive. The PVDF distribution within the active layer was investigated by secondary ion mass spectroscopy, confirming a bottom distribution of PVDF. Therefore, inverted device structure was designed, and the PCE can improve from 2.81% to 3.45% with PVDF additive. Our findings suggest that PVDF is a promising nonvolatile processing additive for high performance polymer solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]