Polymorphism in Non-Fullerene Acceptors Based on Indacenodithienothiophene
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2021

Organic solar cells incorporating non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) have reached remarkable power conversion efficiencies of over 18%. Unlike fullerene derivatives, NFAs tend to crystallize from solutions, resulting in bulk heterojunctions that include a crystalline acceptor phase. This must be considered in any morphology-function models. Here, it is confirmed that high-performing solution-processed indacenodithienothiophene-based NFAs, i.e., ITIC and its derivatives ITIC-M, ITIC-2F, and ITIC-Th, exhibit at least two crystalline forms. In addition to highly ordered polymorphs that form at high temperatures, NFAs arrange into a low-temperature metastable phase that is readily promoted via solution processing and leads to the highest device efficiencies. Intriguingly, the low-temperature forms seem to feature a continuous network that favors charge transport despite of a poorly order along the pi-pi stacking direction. As the optical absorption of the structurally more disordered low-temperature phase can surpass that of the more ordered polymorphs while displaying comparable-or even higher-charge transport properties, it is argued that such a packing structure is an important feature for reaching highest device efficiencies, thus, providing guidelines for future materials design and crystal engineering activities.

organic electronics

polimorphism

non-fullerene acceptors

organic solar cells

organic semiconductors

Författare

Sara Marina

Universidad del Pais Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea

Alberto D. Scaccabarozzi

Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)

Edgar Gutierrez-Fernandez

Universidad del Pais Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea

Eduardo Solano

El Sincrotrón ALBA

Aditi Khirbat

Georgia Institute of Technology

Laura Ciammaruchi

Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC)

Amaia Iturrospe

Centro de Física de Materiales (CSIC-UPV/EHU)

Alex Balzer

Georgia Institute of Technology

Liyang Yu

Chalmers, Kemi och kemiteknik, Tillämpad kemi

Elena Gabirondo

Universidad del Pais Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea

Xavier Monnier

Donostia International Physics Center

Centro de Física de Materiales (CSIC-UPV/EHU)

Haritz Sardon

Universidad del Pais Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea

Thomas D. Anthopoulos

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)

Mario Caironi

Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia

Mariano Campoy-Quiles

Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC)

Christian Müller

Chalmers, Kemi och kemiteknik, Tillämpad kemi

Daniele Cangialosi

Centro de Física de Materiales (CSIC-UPV/EHU)

Natalie Stingelin

Georgia Institute of Technology

Université de Bordeaux

Jaime Martin

Basque Foundation for Science (Ikerbasque)

Universidade da Coruña

Universidad del Pais Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea

Advanced Functional Materials

1616-301X (ISSN) 16163028 (eISSN)

Vol. 31 29 2103784

Ämneskategorier

Materialkemi

Annan fysik

Den kondenserade materiens fysik

DOI

10.1002/adfm.202103784

Mer information

Senast uppdaterat

2022-06-13