Sulfonate-Conjugated Polyelectrolytes as Anode Interfacial Layers in Inverted Organic Solar Cells
Conjugated polymers with ionic pendant groups (CPEs) are receiving increasing attention as solution-processed interfacial materials for organic solar cells (OSCs). Various anionic CPEs have been successfully used, on top of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) electrodes, as solution-processed anode interlayers (...
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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author | Elisa Lassi Benedetta Maria Squeo Roberto Sorrentino Guido Scavia Simona Mrakic-Sposta Maristella Gussoni Barbara Vercelli Francesco Galeotti Mariacecilia Pasini Silvia Luzzati |
author_facet | Elisa Lassi Benedetta Maria Squeo Roberto Sorrentino Guido Scavia Simona Mrakic-Sposta Maristella Gussoni Barbara Vercelli Francesco Galeotti Mariacecilia Pasini Silvia Luzzati |
author_sort | Elisa Lassi |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Conjugated polymers with ionic pendant groups (CPEs) are receiving increasing attention as solution-processed interfacial materials for organic solar cells (OSCs). Various anionic CPEs have been successfully used, on top of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) electrodes, as solution-processed anode interlayers (AILs) for conventional devices with direct geometry. However, the development of CPE AILs for OSC devices with inverted geometry is an important topic that still needs to be addressed. Here, we have designed three anionic CPEs bearing alkyl-potassium-sulfonate side chains. Their functional behavior as anode interlayers has been investigated in P3HT:PC<sub>61</sub>BM (poly(3-hexylthiophene): [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester) devices with an inverted geometry, using a hole collecting silver electrode evaporated on top. Our results reveal that to obtain effective anode modification, the CPEs’ conjugated backbone has to be tailored to grant self-doping and to have a good energy-level match with the photoactive layer. Furthermore, the sulfonate moieties not only ensure the solubility in polar orthogonal solvents, induce self-doping via a right choice of the conjugated backbone, but also play a role in the gaining of hole selectivity of the top silver electrode. |
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issn | 1420-3049 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:04:41Z |
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spelling | doaj.art-be6d9488d6224fd1af0c74f31f0d7f722023-12-03T12:05:15ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492021-02-0126376310.3390/molecules26030763Sulfonate-Conjugated Polyelectrolytes as Anode Interfacial Layers in Inverted Organic Solar CellsElisa Lassi0Benedetta Maria Squeo1Roberto Sorrentino2Guido Scavia3Simona Mrakic-Sposta4Maristella Gussoni5Barbara Vercelli6Francesco Galeotti7Mariacecilia Pasini8Silvia Luzzati9Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies “G. Natta ”-SCITEC, National Research Council, CNR-SCITEC, via Corti 12, 20133 Milan, ItalyInstitute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies “G. Natta ”-SCITEC, National Research Council, CNR-SCITEC, via Corti 12, 20133 Milan, ItalyInstitute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies “G. Natta ”-SCITEC, National Research Council, CNR-SCITEC, via Corti 12, 20133 Milan, ItalyInstitute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies “G. Natta ”-SCITEC, National Research Council, CNR-SCITEC, via Corti 12, 20133 Milan, ItalyInstitute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, CNR-IFC, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milan, ItalyInstitute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies “G. Natta ”-SCITEC, National Research Council, CNR-SCITEC, via Corti 12, 20133 Milan, ItalyInstitute of Condensed Matter Chemistry and Technologies for Energy, National Research Council, CNR-ICMATE, Via Roberto Cozzi 53, 20125 Milan, ItalyInstitute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies “G. Natta ”-SCITEC, National Research Council, CNR-SCITEC, via Corti 12, 20133 Milan, ItalyInstitute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies “G. Natta ”-SCITEC, National Research Council, CNR-SCITEC, via Corti 12, 20133 Milan, ItalyInstitute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies “G. Natta ”-SCITEC, National Research Council, CNR-SCITEC, via Corti 12, 20133 Milan, ItalyConjugated polymers with ionic pendant groups (CPEs) are receiving increasing attention as solution-processed interfacial materials for organic solar cells (OSCs). Various anionic CPEs have been successfully used, on top of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) electrodes, as solution-processed anode interlayers (AILs) for conventional devices with direct geometry. However, the development of CPE AILs for OSC devices with inverted geometry is an important topic that still needs to be addressed. Here, we have designed three anionic CPEs bearing alkyl-potassium-sulfonate side chains. Their functional behavior as anode interlayers has been investigated in P3HT:PC<sub>61</sub>BM (poly(3-hexylthiophene): [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester) devices with an inverted geometry, using a hole collecting silver electrode evaporated on top. Our results reveal that to obtain effective anode modification, the CPEs’ conjugated backbone has to be tailored to grant self-doping and to have a good energy-level match with the photoactive layer. Furthermore, the sulfonate moieties not only ensure the solubility in polar orthogonal solvents, induce self-doping via a right choice of the conjugated backbone, but also play a role in the gaining of hole selectivity of the top silver electrode.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/3/763conjugated polyelectrolytesinverted organic solar cellsanode interfacial layers |
spellingShingle | Elisa Lassi Benedetta Maria Squeo Roberto Sorrentino Guido Scavia Simona Mrakic-Sposta Maristella Gussoni Barbara Vercelli Francesco Galeotti Mariacecilia Pasini Silvia Luzzati Sulfonate-Conjugated Polyelectrolytes as Anode Interfacial Layers in Inverted Organic Solar Cells Molecules conjugated polyelectrolytes inverted organic solar cells anode interfacial layers |
title | Sulfonate-Conjugated Polyelectrolytes as Anode Interfacial Layers in Inverted Organic Solar Cells |
title_full | Sulfonate-Conjugated Polyelectrolytes as Anode Interfacial Layers in Inverted Organic Solar Cells |
title_fullStr | Sulfonate-Conjugated Polyelectrolytes as Anode Interfacial Layers in Inverted Organic Solar Cells |
title_full_unstemmed | Sulfonate-Conjugated Polyelectrolytes as Anode Interfacial Layers in Inverted Organic Solar Cells |
title_short | Sulfonate-Conjugated Polyelectrolytes as Anode Interfacial Layers in Inverted Organic Solar Cells |
title_sort | sulfonate conjugated polyelectrolytes as anode interfacial layers in inverted organic solar cells |
topic | conjugated polyelectrolytes inverted organic solar cells anode interfacial layers |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/3/763 |
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