Hole (donor) and electron (acceptor) transporting organic semiconductors for bulk-heterojunction solar cells. Issue 5 (September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Jianhua; Chen, Yao; Feng, Liang-Wen; Gu, Chunling; Li, Guoping; Su, Ning; Wang, Gang; Swick, Steven M.; Huang, Wei; Guo, Xugang; Facchetti, Antonio; Marks, Tobin J.
• Is Part Of: EnergyChem. Volume 2:Issue 5(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-09
• Subjects: Organic semiconductor -- Solar cell -- Photovoltaic -- Donor -- Acceptor -- NFA -- Fullerene; Electrochemistry -- Periodicals; Materials science -- Periodicals; Chemical engineering -- Periodicals; 660.282
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enchem.2020.100042
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2589-7780

Abstract

Highlights: Fundamental structure, materials properties and operational principles of organic solar cells (OSC) are introduced. Historical development and recent progress of electron-donor and electron-acceptor semiconductor families are reviewed. Major breakthroughs for all-small molecule, small molecule-polymer, and all-polymer based OSC are reported. A comprehensive understanding for improving organic photovoltaic performance is detailed. Summary of challenges and opportunitiesof OSC devices are highlighted. Abstract: The field of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic photovoltaics (OPVs) or solar cells (OSCs) has experienced a dramatic advance toward a competitive technology reflecting the introduction of new materials, tuning of materials combinations, and optimization of the device architecture. Thus, binary BHJ OSCs with power conversion efficiencies surpassing 18% have been demonstrated. In this review we discuss recent developments in the area of π-conjugated small-molecule and polymeric semiconductors for organic BHJ-OSCs focusing on both electron-donor (hole-transporting) and electron-acceptor (electron-transporting) semiconductors developed during the past three years. Thus, several families of semiconductor materials including donor-acceptor (D-A) polymers, fullerene, and non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) are reviewed including their combination for polymer-fullerene, donor polymer-NFA, all-small molecule, and all-polymer solar cells.