Issue

Vol. 13 (2021)

Solution-Processed Transparent Conducting Electrodes for Flexible Organic Solar Cells with 16.61% Efficiency

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-020-00566-3
Juanyong Wan
Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, People’s Republic of China
Yonggao Xia
Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, People’s Republic of China
Junfeng Fang
School of Physics and Electronics Science, Engineering Research Center of Nanophotonics and Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, People’s Republic of China
Zhiguo Zhang
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institution of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic of China
Bingang Xu
Nanotechnology Center, Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, People’s Republic of China
Jinzhao Wang
Department of Material Science and Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, People’s Republic of China
Ling Ai
Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, People’s Republic of China
Weijie Song
Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, People’s Republic of China
Kwun Nam Hui
Joint Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078, People’s Republic of China
Xi Fan
Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, People’s Republic of China
Yongfang Li
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institution of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Xi Fan

fanxi@nimte.ac.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 13 (2021), Article Number: 44

Abstract

Nonfullerene organic solar cells (OSCs) have achieved breakthrough with pushing the efficiency exceeding 17%. While this shed light on OSC commercialization, high-performance flexible OSCs should be pursued through solution manufacturing. Herein, we report a solution-processed flexible OSC based on a transparent conducting PEDOT:PSS anode doped with trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (CF3SO3H). Through a low-concentration and low-temperature CF3SO3H doping, the conducting polymer anodes exhibited a main sheet resistance of 35 Ω sq−1 (minimum value: 32 Ω sq−1), a raised work function (≈ 5.0 eV), a superior wettability, and a high electrical stability. The high work function minimized the energy level mismatch among the anodes, hole-transporting layers and electron-donors of the active layers, thereby leading to an enhanced carrier extraction. The solution-processed flexible OSCs yielded a record-high efficiency of 16.41% (maximum value: 16.61%). Besides, the flexible OSCs afforded the 1000 cyclic bending tests at the radius of 1.5 mm and the long-time thermal treatments at 85 °C, demonstrating a high flexibility and a good thermal stability.


Highlights:


1 The PEDOT:PSS flexible electrodes with a unique CF3SO3H treatment exhibited high electrical characteristics and stability.
2 An energy level tuning effect was induced to create a suitable work function.
3 Flexible organic solar cells yielded a record-high efficiency of 16.61%, a high flexibility, and a good thermal stability.

Keywords

Solution-processed transparent conducting electrode Flexible organic solar cell PEDOT:PSS Trifluoromethanesulfonic acid doping Solution processing
Wan, Juanyong, Yonggao Xia, Junfeng Fang, Zhiguo Zhang, Bingang Xu, Jinzhao Wang, Ling Ai, Weijie Song, Kwun Nam Hui, Xi Fan, and Yongfang Li. 2021. “Solution-Processed Transparent Conducting Electrodes for Flexible Organic Solar Cells With 16.61% Efficiency”. Nano-Micro Letters 13 (January):44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-020-00566-3.
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