Synthesis and solar cell applications of semiconducting polymers based on vinylene-bridged 5-alkoxy-6-fluorobenzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole (FOBTzE)

• Published in: Polymer journal 2023-04, Vol.55 (4), p.405-415
• Main Authors: Mori, Hiroki, Asanuma, Yuya, Hosogi, Ryuchi, Nishihara, Yasushi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 119/118; 140/131; 639/624/399/1028; 639/638/455/954; Agglomeration; Biomaterials; Bioorganic Chemistry; Carrier transport; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemistry/Food Science; Circuits; Copolymers; Energy conversion efficiency; Energy levels; Fluorine; Molecular orbitals; Orientation; Original Article; Phase separation; Photovoltaic cells; Polymer films; Polymer Sciences; Polymers; Short circuit currents; Solar cells; Solubility; Surfaces and Interfaces; Synthesis; Thiadiazoles; Thin Films
• ISSN: 0032-3896; 1349-0540
• DOI: 10.1038/s41428-022-00706-z

To improve the strong aggregation behavior and molecular orientation of the previously reported polymer PFE4T with vinylene-bridged 5,6-difluorobenzo[ c ][1,2,5]thiadiazole (FBTzE), we designed and synthesized a vinylene-bridged 5-alkoxy-6-fluorobenzo[ c ][1,2,5]thiadiazole (FOBTzE) moiety as a novel electron acceptor unit and its copolymer PFOE4T . By installing a strong electron-donating alkoxy group into the FBTzE framework instead of an electron-withdrawing fluorine atom, the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level of the resulting polymer PFOE4T was found to be ca. 0.1 eV higher than that of the previously reported polymer PFE4T but comparable to that of typical difluorobenzothiadiazole-based polymers. On the other hand, the introduction of alkoxy side chains reduced the strong aggregation tendency and changed the molecular orientation of the polymers from edge-on to bimodal orientation, providing a uniform polymer blended film with PC 61 BM and enhancing carrier transport. These results indicate that the fabricated PFOE4T /PC 61 BM-based solar cells exhibited a power conversion efficiency of 4.52% with a high fill factor (FF) of 0.68. However, because PFOE4T still has strong aggregation and low solubility, the PFOE4T /PC 61 BM blended film formed a large phase separation, resulting in limited short-circuit current density ( J sc ) and PCE. Vinylene-bridged 5-alkoxy-6-fluorobenzo[ c ][1,2,5]thiadiazole (FOBTzE) as a novel acceptor unit and its copolymer PFOE4T were designed and synthesized. The incorporation of an electron-donating alkoxy group instead of a fluorine atom prevented strong aggregation tendency and changed the molecular orientation of the polymers from edge-on to bimodal orientation, which was expected to provide uniform thin-film with PC 61 BM and promoted carrier transport. However, since PFOE4T has still strong aggregation ability and low solubility, the PFOE4T /PC 61 BM blended film formed a large phase separation, resulting in a power conversion efficiency of only 4.52%.