Aqueous PCDTBT:PC71BM Photovoltaic Inks Made by Nanoprecipitation. Issue 2 (24th October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Prunet, Geoffrey; Parrenin, Laurie; Pavlopoulou, Eleni; Pecastaings, Gilles; Brochon, Cyril; Hadziioannou, Georges; Cloutet, Eric
• Is Part Of: Macromolecular rapid communications. Volume 39:Issue 2(2018)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2017-10-24
• Subjects: nanoparticles -- nanoprecipitation -- organic solar cells -- PCDTBT:PC71BM -- water; Macromolecules -- Periodicals; Polymers -- Periodicals; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 547.705
• DOI: 10.1002/marc.201700504
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1022-1336

Abstract

Abstract: The fabrication of organic solar cells from aqueous dispersions of photoactive nanoparticles has recently attracted the interest of the photovoltaic community, since these dispersions offer an eco‐friendly solution for the fabrication of solar cells, avoiding the use of toxic solvents. In this work, aqueous dispersions of pure poly[n‐9′‐heptadecanyl‐2, 7‐carbazole‐ alt ‐5, 5‐(4′, 7′‐di‐2‐thienyl‐2′, 1′, 3′‐benzothiadiazole)] (PCDTBT) and [6, 6]‐phenyl‐C71 ‐butyric acid methyl ester (PC71 BM) nanoparticles, as well as of composite PC71 BM:PCDTBT nanoparticles, are prepared using the nanoprecipitation postpolymerization method. These dispersions are subsequently used to form the active layer of organic photovoltaic cells. Thin films of PC71 BM and PCDTBT are obtained by spray deposition of the nanoparticles' dispersions, and are characterized using a combination of spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. Photovoltaics that incorporate these active layers are fabricated thereafter. The impact of the annealing temperature and of the composition of the active layer on the efficiency of the solar cells is studied. Abstract : PCDTBT:PC71 BM composite particles are prepared in water by a postpolymerization process, the nanoprecipitation. The particle size is tuned by playing with different parameters and are used to create the active layer of organic photovoltaic cells by spray‐coating. After optimized annealing temperature, the impact of the active layer's composition on the efficiency of solar cells is studied.