Oxidised carbon nanotubes as solution processable, high work function hole-extraction layers for organic solar cells

Abstract

For efficient hole-extraction in solution processed organic solar cells the transparent indium-tin oxide (ITO) electrode is invariably pre-coated with a thin layer of the high work function conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly(styrenesulfonate). Herein we show that thin films of partially oxidised multi-wall and single-wall carbon nanotubes are equally effective at facilitating hole-extraction in efficient (∼2.7%) bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT): [6,6]-phenyl-C 61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) blends. Crucially, in contrast to PEDOT:PSS, deposition is from aqueous solutions of low acidity (pH 6–7) ensuring compatibility with ITO and other emerging conducting oxides. Furthermore, thin oxidised carbon nanotube films offer greater transparency in the near-infrared as compared to PEDOT:PSS films of comparable thickness. The functionality of these nano-structured films is demonstrated in relatively large area devices (∼0.35 cm 2) and the performance rationalised based on measurements of the electronic structure and morphology.