Constructing continuous acceptor fibrillar networks and achieving uniform phase separation via polymer-assisted morphology control for 20.3% efficiency additive-free organic solar cells
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2025

Additive-free organic solar cells (OSCs) represent a critical advancement toward scalable, stable photovoltaic devices by eliminating processing complexities associated with solvent additives. However, achieving an optimal active-layer morphology in their absence remains a formidable challenge. Here, we introduce a polymer engineering strategy to enhance morphological control and device performance in additive-free OSCs. By incorporating a small fraction of the polymer acceptor PY-DT into the D18:L8-BO blend system, we demonstrate that PY-DT acts as a nucleating agent during film formation, promoting the ordered molecular stacking of L8-BO. The polymer's rigid backbone further directs epitaxial growth of the L8-BO phase, driving the formation of a continuous fibrillar network within the acceptor domain and enabling uniform phase separation. This hierarchical assembly enhances exciton dissociation and balances charge transport, yielding a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.3%, which is one of the highest values for additive-free OSCs. Stability evaluations reveal that devices retain 85.3% of their initial efficiency after 1200 hours of continuous illumination. Our findings establish a novel approach to morphological engineering in additive-free OSCs, offering a pathway toward industrially viable, high-performance devices and advancing the field of organic photovoltaics.

Författare

Fengbo Sun

Shandong University

Jingnan Wu

Chalmers, Kemi och kemiteknik, Tillämpad kemi

Bo Cheng

Shandong University

Lixuan Kan

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Feng Hua

Shandong University

Wei Sun

Shandong University

Hao Wang

Shandong University

Yumiao Huo

Shandong University

Sixuan Chen

Shandong University

Xinxin Xia

Shandong University

Xiaoyan Du

Shandong University

Feng Liu

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Ergang Wang

Chalmers, Kemi och kemiteknik

Xia Guo

Shandong University

Yongfang Li

Soochow University

Maojie Zhang

Shandong University

Soochow University

Energy and Environmental Sciences

1754-5692 (ISSN) 17545706 (eISSN)

Vol. In Press

Ämneskategorier (SSIF 2025)

Materialkemi

Den kondenserade materiens fysik

DOI

10.1039/d5ee01843a

Mer information

Senast uppdaterat

2025-07-03