Polymer Acceptors with Flexible Spacers Afford Efficient and Mechanically Robust All-Polymer Solar Cells
Journal article, 2022
High efficiency and mechanical robustness are both crucial for the practical applications of all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) in stretchable and wearable electronics. In this regard, a series of new polymer acceptors (PAs) is reported by incorporating a flexible conjugation-break spacer (FCBS) to achieve highly efficient and mechanically robust all-PSCs. Incorporation of FCBS affords the effective modulation of the crystallinity and pre-aggregation of the PAs, and achieves the optimal blend morphology with polymer donor (PD), increasing both the photovoltaic and mechanical properties of all-PSCs. In particular, an all-PSC based on PYTS-0.3 PA incorporated with 30% FCBS and PBDB-T PD demonstrates a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 14.68% and excellent mechanical stretchability with a crack onset strain (COS) of 21.64% and toughness of 3.86 MJ m-3, which is significantly superior to those of devices with the PA without the FCBS (PYTS-0.0, PCE = 13.01%, and toughness = 2.70 MJ m-3). To date, this COS is the highest value reported for PSCs with PCEs of over 8% without any insulating additives. These results reveal that the introduction of FCBS into the conjugated backbone is a highly feasible strategy to simultaneously improve the PCE and stretchability of PSCs.
stretchability
polymer acceptors
mechanical robustness
flexible conjugation-break spacers
all-polymer solar cells
Author
Zewdneh Genene Wolkeba
Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry
Jin Woo Lee
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Sun Woo Lee
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Qiaonan Chen
Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry
Zhengping Tan
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Birhan Alkadir Abdulahi
Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry
Donghong Yu
Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research Denmark
Aalborg University
Taek Soo Kim
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Bumjoon J. Kim
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Ergang Wang
Zhengzhou University
Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry
Advanced Materials
09359648 (ISSN) 15214095 (eISSN)
Vol. 34 6 2107361Subject Categories (SSIF 2011)
Polymer Chemistry
Polymer Technologies
Textile, Rubber and Polymeric Materials
DOI
10.1002/adma.202107361