6533b871fe1ef96bd12d1b0d

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Minimizing geminate recombination losses in small-molecule-based organic solar cells

Juan AragóAbasi AbudulimuAlexey GavrikAlexey GavrikJoaquín CalboNazario MartínAnna IsakovaEnrique OrtíLarry LüerJosé SantosVladymir DyakonovRafael Sandoval-torrientes

subject

chemistry.chemical_classificationMaterials scienceOrganic solar cellPhotovoltaic systemQuímica orgánicafood and beverages02 engineering and technologyGeneral ChemistryPolymerElectron010402 general chemistry021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology7. Clean energy01 natural sciencesSmall moleculeAcceptor0104 chemical scienceschemistryChemical physicsMaterials ChemistryCyclic voltammetry0210 nano-technologyFemtochemistry

description

Small-molecule-based organic solar cells (OSCs) are a recurrent alternative to polymer-based OSCs. Due to the higher purity and definition of small molecules compared to polymers, the morphological requirements can be more relaxed. Here, we present a series of novel rhodanine-based small-molecule electron donors and blend them with the standard acceptor PC70BM. By performing a target analysis on femtosecond spectroscopy data, we quantify the rates of geminate charge recombination. We are able to reproduce these rates by applying the Marcus–Levich–Jortner equation, using results from quantum chemical calculations. This shows that in a series of differently substituted compounds, one can correctly predict trends in geminate recombination rates by relying only on quantities that are easy to measure (cyclic voltammetry, optical spectra) or that can be calculated by relatively inexpensive methods such as (TD)DFT. Our method should thus accelerate the search for high-performance small-molecule photovoltaic blends.

https://doi.org/10.1039/c9tc00862d