Dynamic Hydrogen-bonding Enables High-performance and Mechanically Robust Organic Solar Cells Processed with Non-halogenated Solvent

Overview

Journal Nat Commun

Date 2025 Jan 17

PMID 39824822

Authors

Haozhe He

Xiaojun Li

Jingyuan Zhang

Zekun Chen

Yufei Gong

Hongmei Zhuo

Xiangxi Wu

Yuechen Li

Shijie Wang

Zhaozhao Bi

Bohao Song

Kangkang Zhou

Tongling Liang

Wei Ma

Guanghao Lu

Long Ye

Lei Meng

Ben Zhang

Yaowen Li

Yongfang Li

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Developing active-layer systems with both high performance and mechanical robustness is a crucial step towards achieving future commercialization of flexible and stretchable organic solar cells (OSCs). Herein, we design and synthesize a series of acceptors BTA-C6, BTA-E3, BTA-E6, and BTA-E9, featuring the side chains of hexyl, and 3, 6, and 9 carbon-chain with ethyl ester end groups respectively. Benefiting from suitable phase separation and vertical phase distribution, the PM6:BTA-E3-based OSCs processed by o-xylene exhibit lower energy loss and improved charge transport characteristic and achieve a power conversion efficiency of 19.92% (certified 19.57%), which stands as the highest recorded value in binary OSCs processed by green solvents. Moreover, due to the additional hydrogen-bonding provided by ethyl ester side chain, the PM6:BTA-E3-based active-layer systems achieve enhanced stretchability and thermal stability. Our work reveals the significance of dynamic hydrogen-bonding in improving the photovoltaic performance, mechanical robustness, and morphological stability of OSCs.

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