Molecular weight dependent vertical composition profiles of PCDTBT:PC71BM blends for organic photovoltaics

James W. Kingsley; Pier Paolo Marchisio; Hunan Yi; Ahmed Iraqi; Christy J. Kinane; Sean Langridge; Richard L. Thompson; Ashley J. Cadby; Andrew J. Pearson; David G. Lidzey; Richard A. L. Jones; Andrew J. Parnell

doi:10.1038/srep05286

Molecular weight dependent vertical composition profiles of PCDTBT:PC71BM blends for organic photovoltaics

James W. Kingsley, Pier Paolo Marchisio, Hunan Yi, Ahmed Iraqi, Christy J. Kinane, Sean Langridge, Richard L. Thompson, Ashley J. Cadby, Andrew J. Pearson, David G. Lidzey, Richard A. L. Jones, Andrew J. Parnell

Materials Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We have used Soxhlet solvent purification to fractionate a broad molecular weight distribution of the polycarbazole polymer PCDTBT into three lower polydispersity molecular weight fractions. Organic photovoltaic devices were made using a blend of the fullerene acceptor PC71BM with the molecular weight fractions. An average power conversion efficiency of 5.89% (peak efficiency of 6.15%) was measured for PCDTBT blend devices with a number average molecular weight of Mn = 25.5 kDa. There was significant variation between the molecular weight fractions with low (Mn = 15.0 kDa) and high (Mn = 34.9 kDa) fractions producing devices with average efficiencies of 5.02% and 3.70% respectively. Neutron reflectivity measurements on these polymer:PC71BM blend layers showed that larger molecular weights leads to an increase in the polymer enrichment layer thickness at the anode interface, this improves efficiency up to a limiting point where the polymer solubility causes a reduction of the PCDTBT concentration in the active layer.

Original language	English
Article number	5286
Pages (from-to)	1-7
Number of pages	7
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/srep05286
Publication status	Published - 13 Jun 2014

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Kingsley, J. W., Marchisio, P. P., Yi, H., Iraqi, A., Kinane, C. J., Langridge, S., Thompson, R. L., Cadby, A. J., Pearson, A. J., Lidzey, D. G., Jones, R. A. L., & Parnell, A. J. (2014). Molecular weight dependent vertical composition profiles of PCDTBT:PC71BM blends for organic photovoltaics. Scientific Reports, 4, 1-7. Article 5286. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep05286

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title = "Molecular weight dependent vertical composition profiles of PCDTBT:PC71BM blends for organic photovoltaics",

abstract = "We have used Soxhlet solvent purification to fractionate a broad molecular weight distribution of the polycarbazole polymer PCDTBT into three lower polydispersity molecular weight fractions. Organic photovoltaic devices were made using a blend of the fullerene acceptor PC71BM with the molecular weight fractions. An average power conversion efficiency of 5.89% (peak efficiency of 6.15%) was measured for PCDTBT blend devices with a number average molecular weight of Mn = 25.5 kDa. There was significant variation between the molecular weight fractions with low (Mn = 15.0 kDa) and high (Mn = 34.9 kDa) fractions producing devices with average efficiencies of 5.02% and 3.70% respectively. Neutron reflectivity measurements on these polymer:PC71BM blend layers showed that larger molecular weights leads to an increase in the polymer enrichment layer thickness at the anode interface, this improves efficiency up to a limiting point where the polymer solubility causes a reduction of the PCDTBT concentration in the active layer.",

author = "Kingsley, {James W.} and Marchisio, {Pier Paolo} and Hunan Yi and Ahmed Iraqi and Kinane, {Christy J.} and Sean Langridge and Thompson, {Richard L.} and Cadby, {Ashley J.} and Pearson, {Andrew J.} and Lidzey, {David G.} and Jones, {Richard A. L.} and Parnell, {Andrew J.}",

year = "2014",

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AU - Kingsley, James W.

AU - Marchisio, Pier Paolo

AU - Yi, Hunan

AU - Iraqi, Ahmed

AU - Kinane, Christy J.

AU - Langridge, Sean

AU - Thompson, Richard L.

AU - Cadby, Ashley J.

AU - Pearson, Andrew J.

AU - Lidzey, David G.

AU - Jones, Richard A. L.

AU - Parnell, Andrew J.

PY - 2014/6/13

Y1 - 2014/6/13

N2 - We have used Soxhlet solvent purification to fractionate a broad molecular weight distribution of the polycarbazole polymer PCDTBT into three lower polydispersity molecular weight fractions. Organic photovoltaic devices were made using a blend of the fullerene acceptor PC71BM with the molecular weight fractions. An average power conversion efficiency of 5.89% (peak efficiency of 6.15%) was measured for PCDTBT blend devices with a number average molecular weight of Mn = 25.5 kDa. There was significant variation between the molecular weight fractions with low (Mn = 15.0 kDa) and high (Mn = 34.9 kDa) fractions producing devices with average efficiencies of 5.02% and 3.70% respectively. Neutron reflectivity measurements on these polymer:PC71BM blend layers showed that larger molecular weights leads to an increase in the polymer enrichment layer thickness at the anode interface, this improves efficiency up to a limiting point where the polymer solubility causes a reduction of the PCDTBT concentration in the active layer.

AB - We have used Soxhlet solvent purification to fractionate a broad molecular weight distribution of the polycarbazole polymer PCDTBT into three lower polydispersity molecular weight fractions. Organic photovoltaic devices were made using a blend of the fullerene acceptor PC71BM with the molecular weight fractions. An average power conversion efficiency of 5.89% (peak efficiency of 6.15%) was measured for PCDTBT blend devices with a number average molecular weight of Mn = 25.5 kDa. There was significant variation between the molecular weight fractions with low (Mn = 15.0 kDa) and high (Mn = 34.9 kDa) fractions producing devices with average efficiencies of 5.02% and 3.70% respectively. Neutron reflectivity measurements on these polymer:PC71BM blend layers showed that larger molecular weights leads to an increase in the polymer enrichment layer thickness at the anode interface, this improves efficiency up to a limiting point where the polymer solubility causes a reduction of the PCDTBT concentration in the active layer.

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JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

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Molecular weight dependent vertical composition profiles of PCDTBT:PC71BM blends for organic photovoltaics

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