The influence of polymer purification on the efficiency of poly(3-hexylthiophene):fullerene organic solar cells

TitleThe influence of polymer purification on the efficiency of poly(3-hexylthiophene):fullerene organic solar cells
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2016
AuthorsJ.H. Bannock, N.D. Treat, M.L. Chabinyc, N. Stingelin, M.J. Heeney, and J.C. de Mello
JournalSCIENTIFIC REPORTS
Volume6
Pagination23651
Date PublishedMAR 31
ISSN2045-2322
AbstractWe report the influence of different polymer purification procedures on the photovoltaic performance of bulk heterojunction solar cells formed from binary blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and fullerenes. Selective Soxhlet extractions and metal scavenging agents were used to remove residual monomer, magnesium salt by-products and catalyst from high-weight P3HT (Mw 121 kg/mol, PDI 1.8, RR 99%) synthesised by the Grignard metathesis (GRIM) polymerization route. Using phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC60BM) as an electron acceptor, we observed an increase in average power conversion efficiency from 2.3 to 4.8% in going from crude to fully purified material. Using indene-C-60 bisadduct (IC(60)BA) in place of PC60BM, we observed a further increase to an average value of 6.6% - high for a bulk heterojunction formed from a binary blend of P3HT and C-60 fullerene derivatives.
DOI10.1038/srep23651