Vertical phase separation of conjugated polymer and fullerene bulk heterojunction films induced by high pressure carbon dioxide treatment at ambient temperature

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP
Ryo Kokubu, Yang Yang

Abstract

The morphology of bulk-heterojunctions (BHJ) is critically important for conjugated polymer and fullerene blend solar cells. To alter the morphology, high pressure (gas phase) carbon dioxide (CO(2)) treatment is applied to poly(3-hexyl thiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) blend films under ambient temperature. This process can achieve vertically phase separated morphology such that PCBM distributes toward the film surface, which is suggested by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), contact angle, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and cross-sectional scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies. While pristine P3HT films do not show a significant change upon CO(2) treatment, pristine PCBM films are plasticized in high pressure CO(2). Thus, PCBM is selectively plasticized by CO(2) in the blend film and is drawn towards the surface due to depressed surface energy, although P3HT tends to distribute around the surface without CO(2). This stratification process can enhance solar cell performance. 55% improvement is achieved in the power conversion efficiency of the CO(2) treated device compared to the untreated one, indicating that CO(2) treatment can be a good candidate for optimizing the morp...Continue Reading

References

Apr 13, 2007·Chemical Reviews·Serap GünesNiyazi Serdar Sariciftci
Feb 22, 2008·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Jae Kwan LeeAlan J Heeger
Jul 11, 2008·Nature·Elena Angulo, Ben Gilna
Aug 19, 2010·Advanced Materials·Christoph J BrabecShawn P Williams
Feb 3, 2011·Advanced Materials·Kwan H LeePaul L Burn

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Citations

Oct 7, 2016·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Naisheng JiangChang-Yong Nam
Oct 20, 2015·Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP·Jian WangBin Hu
Mar 24, 2018·ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·Jin FangZhixiang Wei

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