Using self-organization to control morphology in molecular photovoltaics.
This work explores the formation of well-defined molecular p-n junctions in solution-processed self-assembled heterojunction solar cells using dodecyloxy-substituted contorted hexabenzocoronene (12-c-HBC) as a donor material and phenyl-C(70)-butyric acid methyl ester (PC(70)BM) as an acceptor. We find that the contorted 12-c-HBC molecules effectively assemble in solution to form a nested structure with the ball-shaped PC(70)BM. The result is a self-assembled molecular-scale p-n junction. When this well-defined p-n junction is embedded in active films, we can make efficient self-assembled solar cells with minimal amounts of donor material relative to the acceptor. The power conversion efficiency is drastically enhanced by the mode of donor and acceptor assembly within the film.
Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA.
Seok Ju
SJ
Kang
Seokhoon
S
Ahn
Jong Bok
JB
Kim
Christine
C
Schenck
Anna M
AM
Hiszpanski
Seokjoon
S
Oh
Theanne
T
Schiros
Yueh-Lin
YL
Loo
Colin
C
Nuckolls