Interdiffusion of PCBM and P3HT Reveals Miscibility in a Photovoltaically Active Blend

نویسندگان

  • Neil D. Treat
  • Michael A. Brady
  • Michael F. Toney
  • Edward J. Kramer
  • Craig J. Hawker
  • Michael L. Chabinyc
چکیده

Developing a better understanding of the evolution of morphology in plastic solar cells is the key to designing new materials and structures that achieve photoconversion effi ciencies greater than 10%. In the most extensively characterized system, the poly(3-hexyl thiophene) (P3HT):[6,6]-phenyl-C 61 -butyricacid-methyl-ester (PCBM) bulk heterojunction, the origins and evolution of the blend morphology during processes such as thermal annealing are not well understood. In this work, we use a model system, a bilayer of P3HT and PCBM, to develop a more complete understanding of the miscibility and diffusion of PCBM within P3HT during thermal annealing. We fi nd that PCBM aggregates and/or molecular species are miscible and mobile in disordered P3HT, without disrupting the ordered lamellar stacking of P3HT chains. The fast diffusion of PCBM into the amorphous regions of P3HT suggests the favorability of mixing in this system, opposing the belief that phase-pure domains form in BHJs due to immiscibility of these two components.

برای دانلود رایگان متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

The miscibility and depth profile of PCBM in P3HT: thermodynamic information to improve organic photovoltaics.

Recent work has shown that poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and the surface-functionalized fullerene 1-(3-methyloxycarbonyl)propyl(1-phenyl[6,6])C(61) (PCBM) are much more miscible than originally thought, and the evidence of this miscibility requires a return to understanding the optimal morphology and structure of organic photovoltaic active layers. This manuscript describes the results of exper...

متن کامل

Highly efficient exciton harvesting and charge transport in ternary blend solar cells based on wide- and low-bandgap polymers.

We have designed highly efficient ternary blend solar cells based on a wide-bandgap crystalline polymer, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), and a low-bandgap polymer, poly[(4,4'-bis(2-ethylhexyl)dithieno[3,2-b:2'3'-d]silole)-2,6-diyl-alt-(2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)-4,7-diyl] (PSBTBT), and a fullerene derivative (PCBM). By using highly crystalline P3HT, high fill factors were obtained even for ternary ...

متن کامل

Addition of P3HT-grafted Silica nanoparticles improves bulk-heterojunction morphology in P3HT-PCBM blends

We present molecular dynamics simulations of a ternary blend of P3HT, PCBM and P3HT-grafted silica nanoparticles (SiNP) for applications in polymer-based solar cells. Using coarse-grained models, we study the effect of SiNP on the spatial arrangement of PCBM in P3HT. Our results suggest that addition of SiNP not only alters the morphology of PCBM clusters but also improves the crystallinity of ...

متن کامل

Mapping the Competition between Exciton Dissociation and Charge Transport in Organic Solar Cells.

The competition between exciton dissociation and charge transport in organic solar cells comprising poly(3-hexylthiophene) [P3HT] and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester [PCBM] is investigated by correlated scanning confocal photoluminescence and photocurrent microscopies. Contrary to the general expectation that higher photoluminescence quenching is indicative of higher photocurrent, microsca...

متن کامل

X-Ray Nanoscopy of a Bulk Heterojunction

Optimizing the morphology of bulk heterojunctions is known to significantly improve the photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells, but available quantitative imaging techniques are few and have severe limitations. We demonstrate X-ray ptychographic coherent diffractive imaging applied to all-organic blends. Specifically, the phase-separated morphology in bulk heterojunction photoactive la...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

عنوان ژورنال:

دوره   شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2010