title: Toward Additive-Free Small-Molecule Organic Solar Cells: Roles of the Donor Crystallization Pathway and Dynamics.
abstract: The ease with which small-molecule donors crystallize during solution processing is directly linked to the need for solvent additives. Donor molecules that get trapped in disordered (H1) or liquid crystalline (T1) mesophases require additive processing to promote crystallization, phase separation, and efficient light harvesting. A donor material (X2) that crystallizes directly from solution yields additive-free solar cells with an efficiency of 7.6%.
authors.affiliation: Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Solar and Photovoltaic Engineering Research Center (SPERC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Maged
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdelsamie
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials and Centre for Plastic Electronics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Neil D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Treat
authors.affiliation: Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Solar and Photovoltaic Engineering Research Center (SPERC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Kui
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Center for Energy Efficient Materials, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Materials, Center for Polymers and Organic Solids, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
authors.forename: Caitlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McDowell
authors.affiliation: Center for Energy Efficient Materials, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Materials, Center for Polymers and Organic Solids, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Burgers
authors.affiliation: Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA.
authors.forename: Ruipeng
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA.
authors.forename: Detlef-M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Smilgies
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials and Centre for Plastic Electronics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stingelin
authors.affiliation: Center for Energy Efficient Materials, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Materials, Center for Polymers and Organic Solids, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
authors.forename: Guillermo C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Bazan
authors.affiliation: Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Solar and Photovoltaic Engineering Research Center (SPERC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Aram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amassian
mesh_terms: D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D003460:Crystallization; D037741:Fullerenes / Q000737:chemistry; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry*; D012993:Solar Energy; D013830:Thiadiazoles / Q000737:chemistry; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D037741:Fullerenes; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D013830:Thiadiazoles; D013876:Thiophenes
keywords: additive-free solar cells; bulk heterojunction solar cells; flash DSC; small molecules; solvent additives