D-π-A-π-D type thiazolo[5, 4-d]thiazole-core organic chromophore and graphene modified PEDOT:PSS buffer layer for efficient bulk heterojunction organic solar cells. (1st September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nazim, M.; Ameen, Sadia; Shaheer Akhtar, M.; Shin, Hyung-Shik
• Is Part Of: Solar energy. Volume 171(2018)
• Page Start: 366
• Page End: 373
• Publication Date: 2018-09-01
• Subjects: Buffer layer -- Bulk heterojunction -- Organic chromophore -- Thiazolo [5, 4-d]thiazole -- Furan spacer -- Graphene -- Organic solar cells; Solar energy -- Periodicals; Solar engines -- Periodicals; 621.47
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2018.06.087
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0038-092X

Abstract

Highlights: SMOSC is fabricated with graphene (Gr) modified PEDOT:PSS buffer layer. A new thiazolo[5, 4- d ]thiazole-core organic chromophore with furan spacer (TP-FTzF-TP) is designed as HTM. PEDOT-PSS-Gr as a buffer layer has significantly improved the PCE. The PCE of ∼3.63% is achieved by Au/TP-FTzF-TP:PC60BM (1:2, w/w)/PEDOT:PSS-Gr/ITO. Abstract: A new thiazolo[5, 4- d ]thiazole-core organic chromophore with furan spacer (TP-FTzF-TP) was synthesized and PEDOT:PSS buffer layer was modified by graphene (Gr) for the efficient solution-processed bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) small molecule organic solar cells (SMOSCs). The introduction of furan as spacer in the thiazolo[5, 4- d ]thiazole-core based organic chromophore tuned the absorption and the electrochemical properties. The synthesized TP-FTzF-TP chromophore exhibited good optical parameters and a suitable HOMO/LUMO values of −5.33 eV/−3.15 eV. The synthesized organic chromophore with triphenylamine as a strong electron-donor and furan spacer promoted the charge transfer and charge extraction in fabricated SMOSCs. The modification of PEDOT:PSS by Gr considerably increased the roughness of thin film. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of ∼3.63% was achieved by fabricated SMOSC device with ITO/Gr-PEDOT:PSS/TP-FTzF-TP:PC60 BM (1:2, w/w)/Au architecture. It was found that the Gr-PEDOT:PSS as a buffer layer significantly enhanced PCE by two time factor as compared to the SMOSC device (PCE = ∼2.13%) with pristine PEDOT:PSS layer.