Increasing terminal alkyl chain length for a better small molecule organic solar cell donor

• Published in: Dyes and pigments 2024-09, Vol.228, p.112240, Article 112240
• Main Authors: Ahmed, Shohel, Yang, Ke, Chen, Yao, Chen, Haiyan, Huang, Peihao, Xue, Shuangxi, Xiao, Zeyun, Lu, Shirong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: All-small-molecule organic solar cell; Small molecule donor; Terminal alkyl chains
• ISSN: 0143-7208; 1873-3743
• DOI: 10.1016/j.dyepig.2024.112240

Optimizing the alkyl chains within a terminal group is considered to be a highly effective approach for boosting the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of all small-molecule organic solar cells (ASM-OSCs). In this study, we focus on designing and synthesizing small molecular (SM) donor compounds with different end-group alkyl chain lengths to study their impact on OSC performance. Under optimized conditions, OSC devices based on BTR-Cl-C8:Y6 demonstrate higher PCE of 14.43 % compared to those based on BTR-Cl:Y6. Moreover, BTR-Cl-C8 exhibits reduced levels of bimolecular recombination and trap-assisted recombination, enhanced capability for exciton dissociation and charge collection, and extended carrier lifetimes. These results highlight the significance of molecular design strategies in optimizing OSC performance and offer valuable insights for the development of efficient and stable ASM-OSCs. •Strategic modification of terminal alkyl chains represents a crucial approach to improving power conversion efficiency within small-molecule organic solar cells•Investigates the influence of terminal alkyl chain modifications on the performance metrics of organic solar cells achieved through the synthesis of a small molecule donor•Synthesized donor molecule exhibit a higher PCE compared to BTR-Cl:Y6, with improved charge collection and extended carrier lifetimes.