Affiliation: | 1. Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays, Institute of Advanced Materials, Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing, 210023 P. R. China Engineering Research Center for Nanomaterials, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004 P. R. China;2. Engineering Research Center for Nanomaterials, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004 P. R. China;3. Institute of Applied Chemistry, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang, 330096 P. R. China;4. International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Base for Advanced Display Technologies of Hunan Province, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082 P. R. China;5. Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029 P. R. China;6. Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays, Institute of Advanced Materials, Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing, 210023 P. R. China |
Abstract: | The electron transport layer (ETL) is a critical component in achieving high device performance and stability in organic solar cells. Conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) have become an attractive alternative due to film-forming properties and ease of preparation. However, p-type CPEs generally exhibit poor charge mobility and conductivity, incorporation of electron-withdrawing units forming alternated D-A conjugated backbone can make up for these deficiencies. Herein, the ratio of electron withdrawing moieties are further increased and two poly(A1-alt-A2) typed PIIDNDI-Br and PDPPNDI-Br based on the combination of naphthalene diimide (NDI) with isoindigo (IID) or diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) via direct arylation polycondensation are synthesized. These CPEs possess excellent alcohol solubility, a suitable lowest unocuppied molecular orbital energy level, and work function tunability. Surprisingly, the incorporation of IID and DPP units generate distinct self-doping behaviors, which are confirmed by UV–vis absorption and ESR spectra. However, no matter doped or undoped, both CPEs present better charge-transporting properties and conductivity when utilized as ETLs. The PIIDNDI-Br and PDPPNDI-Br display good universal compatibility with the blend of PM6:Y6 and PM6:L8-BO, and PCEs of 18.32% and 18.36% are obtained, respectively, which also present excellent storage stability. In short, the combination of two different acceptors demonstrates an efficient strategy to design highly efficient ETLs for high performance photovoltaic devices. |