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3D surfactant-dispersed graphenes as cathode interfacial materials for organic solar cells

三维表面活性剂-石墨烯复合阴极界面材料在有机太阳能电池中的应用

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Abstract

Graphene dispersions in low-boiling-point green solvents have wide applications in coatings, conducting inks, batteries, electronics and solar cells. Two three-dimensional (3D) cathode interfacial materials (CIMs) (1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octa-(9-bis(30-(N,N-dimethylamino)propyl)-2,7-fluorene)-vinylpentacyclo-octasiloxane) (POSSFN) and (1,3,5,7-tetra-(9-bis(30-(N,N-dimethylamino)propyl)-2,7-fluorene)-adamantane) (ADMAFN) are excellent surfactants for dispersing graphene in ethanol at the concentration of 0.97–1.18 mg mL−1, in agreement with their calculated large adsorption energies on graphene. The results of electron spin resonance, Raman, scanning Kelvin probe microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements indicate that the amino groups could n-dope graphene or form dipole interaction with graphene. The two 3D-surfactant-based graphene composites (POSSFN-G and ADMAFN-G) can work as high-performance CIMs in organic solar cells (OSCs), which improve the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the OSCs based on PM6:Y6 to 15.9%–16.1%. ADMAFN forms dipole interaction with graphene in ADMAFN-G and the composite CIM delivers high PCE of 16.11% in the OSCs, while POSSFN forms n-doped composition with graphene in POSSFN-G which works well as thicker CIM film in the OSCs.

摘要

低沸点绿色溶剂中分散石墨烯可广泛应用于涂料、导电油墨、 电池、 电子产品和太阳能电池等领域. 研究发现, 在乙醇溶液中, 两种三维阴极界面材料POSSFN和ADMAFN分散石墨烯的浓度可达到0.97–1.18 mg mL−1, 通过计算得知这两种材料在石墨烯表面具有较大的吸附能. 通过ESR、 Raman、 SKPM和XPS等测试手段证实, POSSFN侧链上的氨基能够与石墨烯发生n-掺杂作用; 而AD-MAFN与石墨烯之间能够形成偶极相互作用. 两种三维界面修饰-石墨烯复合材料(POSSFN-G和ADMAFN-G)均可作为阴极界面修饰材料应用于有机太阳能电池中, 并使基于PM6:Y6光活性层的有机太阳能电池的能量转换效率(PCE)提高到了15.9%–16.1%, 其中基于存在偶极相互作用的复合材料ADMAFN-G阴极修饰层的有机太阳能电池的PCE达到16.11%; 使用存在n-掺杂作用的POSSFN-G阴极修饰层的器件, 在厚膜状态下依然可获得较高的能量转换效率.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51820105003, 51863002 and 51973042), and the Excellent Young Scientific and Technological Talents of Guizhou, China (QKHPTRC [2019]5652).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Guizhou Institute of Technology, Guiyang, 550003, China

    Fei Pan  (潘飞), Song Bai  (柏松), Xian Wei  (魏娴), Yingfen Li  (黎应芬) & Menglan Lv  (吕梦岚)

  2. Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China

    Fei Pan  (潘飞), Menglan Lv  (吕梦岚) & Yongfang Li  (李永舫)

  3. Chongqing Engineering Laboratory of Targeted and Innovative Therapeutics, International Academy of Targeted Therapeutics and Innovation, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing, 402160, China

    Dianyong Tang  (唐典勇)

  4. School of Chemical Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Fei Pan  (潘飞) & Yongfang Li  (李永舫)

  5. Guangzhou Polyforte Chemical Technology Co. LTD, Guangzhou, 510520, China

    Xiwen Chen  (陈希文)

Authors
  1. Fei Pan  (潘飞)
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  2. Song Bai  (柏松)
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  3. Xian Wei  (魏娴)
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  4. Yingfen Li  (黎应芬)
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  5. Dianyong Tang  (唐典勇)
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  6. Xiwen Chen  (陈希文)
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  7. Menglan Lv  (吕梦岚)
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  8. Yongfang Li  (李永舫)
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Contributions

Author contributions Lv M, Chen X and Li Y designed the interfacial modification materials; Bai S and Li Y synthesized and characterized interfacial modification materials; Pan F and Lv M carried out the PSCs fabrication and characterization. Tang D carried out the simulation calculations of absorption energies. Lv M and Li Y supervised the project. Lv M, Chen X and Li Y wrote the paper. All authors contributed to the general discussion.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Menglan Lv  (吕梦岚) or Yongfang Li  (李永舫).

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Conflict of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Fei Pan received his BSc degree in materials chemistry in 2016. Now he is a PhD candidate in Prof. Yongfang Li’s group in the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ICCAS). His current research is the synthesis of cathode interfacial materials and their applications in organic solar cells.

Menglan Lv received her PhD degree from Chengdu Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2014. Currently, she is a professor of Guizhou Institute of Technology. Her research interest is the synthesis of cathode interfacial materials and their applications in organic solar cells.

Yongfang Li is a professor in ICCAS and Soochow University. He received his PhD degree in Fudan University in 1986, and then did his postdoctoral research at ICCAS from 1986 to 1988. He became a staff in 1988 and promoted to professor in 1993 in ICCAS. He was elected as a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2013. His present research field is photovoltaic materials and devices for polymer solar cells.

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Pan, F., Bai, S., Wei, X. et al. 3D surfactant-dispersed graphenes as cathode interfacial materials for organic solar cells. Sci. China Mater. 64, 277–287 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-020-1401-2

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