Metallophthalocyanines in a ternary photoactive layer (P3HT:MPc:PC70BM) for bulk heterojunction solar cells

Denisha Gounden,Werner E Van Zyl,Michael N Pillay,Nolwazi Nombona,Timo Raab,Lukas Schmidt-Mende

doi:10.1039/d0ma00725k

Abstract

Novel bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic solar cells have been fabricated by introducing a series of metallophthalocyanines into a photoactive blend of a poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) and [6,6]-phenyl C70 butyric acid methyl ester.

Highlights

Metallophthalocyanines are suitable ternary components due to their most basic photoinduced sensitizer features as well as valuable hole transport properties that originate from their tuneable conjugated framework.[16,17] As a ternary component, MPcs display inherently strong absorption within the red region of the solar spectrum and may contribute to higher exciton generation in conjunction with P3HT.[18]
The MPcs synthesised in this work can be classified according to the valency of the central metals within the Pc framework and the various moieties placed at their peripheral (b) positions
The phthalonitrile derivatives were synthesised in dry DMF, to which anhydrous K2CO3 acted as a base-catalyst towards the nucleophilic aromatic nitro-displacement of 4-nitrophthalonitrile with either R = (a) 4-tert-butylphenol; (b) 2-naphthol; (c) 3-hydroxyacetaphenone or (d) 3-hydroxybenzoic acid.[20,21]

Summary

Introduction

Metallophthalocyanines are suitable ternary components due to their most basic photoinduced sensitizer features as well as valuable hole transport properties that originate from their tuneable conjugated framework.[16,17] As a ternary component, MPcs display inherently strong absorption within the red region of the solar spectrum and may contribute to higher exciton generation in conjunction with P3HT.[18]. To gain further insight into the origin of the increased JSC values upon the addition of the axially coordinated MPcs, the incident photon-to-conversion efficient (IPCE) or the EQE spectra were recorded for the reference and ternary devices, Fig. 8.

Results

Conclusion