Building Blocks for High-Efficiency Organic Photovoltaics: Interplay of Molecular, Crystal, and Electronic Properties in Post-Fullerene ITIC Ensembles

• Published in: Chemphyschem 2019-09, Vol.20 (20)
• Main Authors: Swick, Steven M., Gebraad, Tim, Jones, Leighton, Fu, Bo, Aldrich, Thomas J., Kohlstedt, Kevin L., Schatz, George C., Facchetti, Antonio, Marks, Tobin J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: bio-inspired; catalysis (heterogeneous); catalysis (homogeneous); charge transport; crystal structure; density functional calculations; hydrogen and fuel cells; INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; magnetism and spin physics; materials and chemistry by design; mesostructured materials; molecular modelling; non-fullerene; optics; phonons; photosynthesis (natural and artificial); solar (fuels); solar (photovoltaic); solar cells; synthesis (novel materials); synthesis (scalable processing); synthesis (self-assembly)
• ISSN: 1439-4235; 1439-7641

Accurate single-crystal X-ray diffraction data offer a unique opportunity to compare and contrast the atomistic details of bulk heterojunction photovoltaic small-molecule acceptor structure and packing, as well as provide an essential starting point for computational electronic structure and charge transport analysis. Herein, we report diffraction-derived crystal structures and computational analyses on the n-type semiconductors which enable some of the highest efficiency organic solar cells produced to date, 3,9-bis(2-methylene-(3-(1,1-dicyanomethylene)-indanone))-5,5,11,11-tetrakis(4-hexylphenyl)-dithieno[2,3-d:2',3'-d']-s-indaceno[1,2-b:5,6-b']dithiophene (ITIC) and seven derivatives (including three new crystal structures: 3,9-bis(2-methylene-(3-(1,1-dicyanomethylene)-indanone))-5,5,11,11-tetrakis(4-propylphenyl)-dithieno[2,3-d:2',3'-d']-s-indaceno[1,2-b:5,6-b']dithiophene (ITIC-C3), 3,9-bis(2-methylene-(3-(1,1-dicyanomethylene)-indanone))-5,5,11,11-tetrakis(3-hexylphenyl)-dithieno[2,3-d:2',3'-d']-s-indaceno[1,2-b:5,6-b']dithiophene (m-ITIC-C6), and 3,9-bis(2-methylene-((3-(1,1-dicyanomethylene)-6,7-difluoro)-indanone))-5,5,11,11-tetrakis(4-butylphenyl)-dithieno[2,3-d:2',3'-d']-s-indaceno[1,2-b:5,6-b']dithiophene (ITIC-C4-4F). IDTT acceptors typically pack in a face-to-face fashion with π–π distances ranging from 3.28–3.95 Å. Additionally, edge-to-face packing is observed with S...π interactions as short as 3.21–3.24 Å. Moreover, ITIC end group identities and side chain substituents influence the nature and strength of noncovalent interactions (e.g. H-bonding, π–π) and thus correlate with the observed packing motif, electronic structure, and charge transport properties of the crystals. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal relatively large nearest-neighbor intermolecular π-π electronic couplings (5.85–56.8 meV) and correlate the nature of the band structure with the dispersion interactions in the single crystals and core–end group polarization effects. Overall, this combined experimental and theoretical work reveals key insights into crystal engineering strategies for indacenodithienothiophene (IDTT) acceptors, as well as general design rules for high-efficiency post-fullerene small molecule acceptors.