Cornerstones in Chemistry
Progress in Organic Solar Cells: Materials, Physics and Device Engineering
Pengqing Bi,
Shaoqing Zhang,
Jingwen Wang,
Junzhen Ren,
Jianhui Hou,
Pengqing Bi
State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular, Sciences CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190 China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Shaoqing Zhang
School of Chemistry and Biology Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083 China
E-mail: [email protected] (S. Z.) [email protected] (J. H.)Search for more papers by this authorJingwen Wang
State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular, Sciences CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190 China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
Search for more papers by this authorJunzhen Ren
State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular, Sciences CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190 China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Jianhui Hou
State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular, Sciences CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190 China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
E-mail: [email protected] (S. Z.) [email protected] (J. H.)Search for more papers by this authorPengqing Bi,
Shaoqing Zhang,
Jingwen Wang,
Junzhen Ren,
Jianhui Hou,
Pengqing Bi
State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular, Sciences CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190 China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Shaoqing Zhang
School of Chemistry and Biology Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083 China
E-mail: [email protected] (S. Z.) [email protected] (J. H.)Search for more papers by this authorJingwen Wang
State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular, Sciences CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190 China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
Search for more papers by this authorJunzhen Ren
State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular, Sciences CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190 China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Jianhui Hou
State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular, Sciences CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190 China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
E-mail: [email protected] (S. Z.) [email protected] (J. H.)Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Organic solar cells (OSCs) have been developed for few decades since the preparation of the first photovoltaic device, and the record power conversion efficiency (PCE) certified by national renewable energy laboratory (NREL) has exceeded 17%. Looking back the whole history of OSCs, its rapid development is inseparable from multi-disciplinary efforts, including the new materials synthesizing, the device physics, and the device engineering, especially the breakthroughs in these disciplines. In this review, we are aiming at reviewing the history of the development of OSCs and summarizing the representative breakthroughs.
References
- 1(a) Li, G.; Zhu, R.; Yang, Y. Polymer solar cells. Nat. Photon. 2012, 6, 153; (b) Wadsworth, A.; Moser, M.; Marks, A.; Little, M. S.; Gasparini, N.; Brabec, C. J.; Baran, D.; McCulloch, I. Critical review of the molecular design progress in non-fullerene electron acceptors towards commercially viable organic solar cells. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2019, 48, 1596–1625; (c) Best Research-Cell Efficiency Chart, The National Renewable Energy Laboratory, https://www.nrel.gov/pv/cell-efficiency. html.
- 2 Menke, S. M.; Ran, N. A.; Bazan, G. C.; Friend, R. H.Understanding energy loss in organic solar cells: toward a new efficiency regime. Joule 2018, 2, 25–35; (b) Bi, P.; Hao, X. Versatile ternary approach for novel organic solar cells: a review. Sol. RRL 2019, 3, 1800263.
- 3 Yao, H.; Ye, L.; Zhang, H.; Li, S.; Zhang, S.; Hou, J. Molecular design of benzodithiophene-based organic photovoltaic materials. Chem. Rev. 2016, 116, 7397–457.
- 4 Inganäs, O. Organic photovoltaics over three decades. Adv. Mater. 2018, 30, 1800388.
- 5(a) Wu, J. S.; Cheng, S. W.; Cheng, Y. J.; Hsu, C. S. Donor-acceptor conjugated polymers based on multifused ladder-type arenes for organic solar cells. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2015, 44, 1113–1154; (b) Sun, H.; Guo, X.; Facchetti, A.High-performance n-type polymer semiconductors: applications, recent development, and challenges. Chem 2020, 6, 1310–1326; (c) He, Z.; Wu, H.; Cao, Y. Recent advances in polymer solar cells: realization of high device performance by incorporating water/alcohol-soluble conjugated polymers as electrode buffer layer. Adv. Mater. 2014, 26, 1006–1024; (d) Xu, G.; Rao, H.; Liao, X.; Zhang, Y.; Wang, Y.; Xing, Z.; Hu, T.; Tan, L.; Chen, L.; Chen, Y. Reducing energy loss and morphology optimization manipulated by molecular geometry engineering for hetero-junction organic solar cells. Chin. J. Chem. 2020, 38, 1553–1559.
- 6 Kallmann, H.; Pope, M. Photovoltaic effect in organic crystals. J. Chem. Phys. 1959, 30, 585–586.
- 7 Ghosh, A. K.; Feng, T. Merocyanine organic solar cells. J. Appl. Phys. 1978, 49, 5982–5989.
- 8 Morel, D. L.; Ghosh, A. K.; Feng, T.; Stogryn, E. L.; Purwin, P. E.; Shaw, R. F.; Fishman, C. High-efficiency organic solar cells. Appl. Phys. Lett. 1978, 32, 495–497.
- 9 Tang, C. W. Two-layer organic photovoltaic cell. Appl. Phys. Lett. 1986, 48, 183–185.
- 10 Hoppe, H.; Sariciftci, N. S. Organic solar cells: An overview. J. Mater. Res. 2004, 19, 1924–1945.
- 11 Hiramoto, M.; Fujiwara, H.; Yokoyama, M. Three-layered organic solar cell with a photoactive interlayer of codeposited pigments. Appl. Phys. Lett. 1991, 58, 1062–1064.
- 12(a) Yu, G.; Gao, J.; Hummelen, J. C.; Wudl, F.; Heeger, A. J. Polymer photovoltaic cells: Enhanced efficiencies via a network of internal donor-acceptor heterojunctions. Science 1995, 270, 1789–1791; (b) Halls, J. J. M.; Walsh, C. A.; Greenham, N. C.; Marseglia, E. A.; Friend, R. H.; Moratti, S. C.; Holmes, A. B. Efficient photodiodes from interpenetrating polymer networks. Nature 1995, 376, 498–500; (c) Xie, L.; Yang, C.; Zhou, R.; Wang, Z.; Zhang, J.; Lu, K.; Wei, Z. Ternary organic solar cells based on two non-fullerene acceptors with complimentary absorption and balanced crystallinity. Chin. J. Chem. 2020, 38, 935–940.
- 13(a) Yin, Z.; Wei, J.; Zheng, Q. Interfacial materials for organic solar cells: Recent advances and perspectives. Adv. Sci. 2016, 3, 1500362; (b) Yao, J.; Qiu, B.; Zhang, Z. G.; Xue, L.; Wang, R.; Zhang, C.; Chen, S.; Zhou, Q.; Sun, C.; Yang, C.; Xiao, M.; Meng, L.; Li, Y. Cathode engineering with perylene-diimide interlayer enabling over 17% efficiency single-junction organic solar cells. Nat. Commun. 2020, 11, 2726; (c) Gao, B.; Yao, H.; Hong, L.; Hou, J. Efficient organic solar cells with a high open-circuit voltage of 1.34 V. Chin. J. Chem. 2019, 37, 1153–1157.
- 14 Li, G.; Chu, C. W.; Shrotriya, V.; Huang, J.; Yang, Y. Efficient inverted polymer solar cells. Appl. Phys. Lett. 2006, 88, 253503.
- 15(a) Ameri, T.; Li, N.; Brabec, C. J. Highly efficient organic tandem solar cells: a follow up review. Energy Environ. Sci. 2013, 6, 2390–2413; (b) Hadipour, A.; de Boer, B.; Blom, P. W. M. Organic tandem and multi-junction solar cells. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2008, 18, 169–181.
- 16 Hiramoto, M.; Suezaki, M.; Yokoyama, M. Effect of thin gold interstitial-layer on the photovoltaic properties of tandem organic solar cell. Chem. Lett. 1990, 19, 327–330.
- 17(a) Peumans, P.; Bulović, V.; Forrest, S. R. Efficient photon harvesting at high optical intensities in ultrathin organic double-heterostructure photovoltaic diodes. Appl. Phys. Lett. 2000, 76, 2650–2652; (b) Yakimov, A.; Forrest, S. R. High photovoltage multiple-heterojunction organic solar cells incorporating interfacial metallic nanoclusters. Appl. Phys. Lett. 2002, 80, 1667–1669.
- 18 Gilot, J.; Wienk, M. M.; Janssen, R. A. J. Double and triple junction polymer solar cells processed from solution. Appl. Phys. Lett. 2007, 90, 143512.
- 19 Meng, L.; Zhang, Y.; Wan, X.; Li, C.; Zhang, X.; Wang, Y.; Ke, X.; Xiao, Z.; Ding, L.; Xia, R.; Yip, H. L.; Cao, Y.; Chen, Y. Organic and solution- processed tandem solar cells with 17.3% efficiency. Science 2018, 361, 1094.
- 20 Burroughes, J. H.; Bradley, D. D. C.; Brown, A. R.; Marks, R. N.; Mackay, K.; Friend, R. H.; Burns, P. L.; Holmes, A. B. Light-emitting diodes based on conjugated polymers. Nature 1990, 347, 539–541.
- 21
Wienk, M. M.; Kroon, J. M.; Verhees, W. J. H.; Knol, J.; Hummelen, J. C.; van Hal, P. A.; Janssen, R. A. J. Efficient methano [70] fullerene/ MDMO-PPV bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2003, 115, 3493–3497.
10.1002/ange.200351647 Google Scholar
- 22 Thompson, B. C.; Kim, Y. G.; McCarley, T. D.; Reynolds, J. R. Soluble narrow band gap and blue propylenedioxythiophene-cyanovinylene polymers as multifunctional materials for photovoltaic and electrochromic applications. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 12714–12725.
- 23 Yu, G.; Heeger, A. J. Charge separation and photovoltaic conversion in polymer composites with internal donor/acceptor heterojunctions. J. Appl. Phys. 1995, 78, 4510–4515.
- 24(a) Brabec, C. J.; Shaheen, S. E.; Winder, C.; Sariciftci, N. S.; Denk, P. Effect of LiF/metal electrodes on the performance of plastic solar cells. Appl. Phys. Lett. 2002, 80, 1288–1290; (b) Wienk, M. M.; Kroon, J. M.; Verhees, W. J. H.; Knol, J.; Hummelen, J. C.; van Hal, P. A.; Janssen, R. A. J. Efficient methano[70]fullerene/mdmo-ppv bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2003, 42, 3371–3375.
- 25(a) Bao, Z.; Dodabalapur, A.; Lovinger, A. J. Soluble and processable regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) for thin film field-effect transistor applications with high mobility. Appl. Phys. Lett. 1996, 69, 4108–4110; (b) Padinger, F.; Rittberger, R. S.; Sariciftci, N. S. Effects of postproduction treatment on plastic solar cells. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2003, 13, 85–88; (c) Hotta, S.; Rughooputh, S. D. D. V.; Heeger, A. J.; Wudl, F. Spectroscopic studies of soluble poly(3-alkylthienylenes). Macromolecules 1987, 20, 212–215.
- 26 Dang, M. T.; Hirsch, L.; Wantz, G. P3HT:PCBM, Best seller in polymer photovoltaic research. Adv. Mater. 2011, 23, 3597–3602.
- 27(a) Ma, W.; Yang, C.; Gong, X.; Lee, K.; Heeger, A. J. Thermally stable, efficient polymer solar cells with nanoscale control of the interpenetrating network morphology. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2005, 15, 1617–1622; (b) Li, G.; Shrotriya, V.; Huang, J.; Yao, Y.; Moriarty, T.; Emery, K.; Yang, Y. High-efficiency solution processable polymer photovoltaic cells by self-organization of polymer blends. Nat. Mater. 2005, 4, 864–868.
- 28 Zhao, G.; He, Y.; Li, Y. 6.5% efficiency of polymer solar cells based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) and indene-C60 bisadduct by device optimization. Adv. Mater. 2010, 22, 4355–4358.
- 29(a) Xu, X.; Zhang, G.; Yu, L.; Li, R.; Peng, Q. P3HT-based polymer solar cells with 8.25% efficiency enabled by a matched molecular acceptor and smart green-solvent processing technology. Adv. Mater. 2019, 31, 1906045; (b) Yang, C.; Zhang, S.; Ren, J.; Gao, M.; Bi, P. Q.; Ye, L.; Hou, J. Molecular design of a non-fullerene acceptor enables P3HT-based organic solar cell with 9.46% efficiency. Energy Environ. Sci. 2020, 13, 2864–2869.
- 30(a) Havinga, E. E.; ten Hoeve, W.; Wynberg, H. A new class of small band gap organic polymer conductors. Polym. Bull. 1992, 29, 119–126; (b) Brabec, C. J.; Winder, C.; Sariciftci, N. S.; Hummelen, J. C.; Dhanabalan, A.; van Hal, P. A.; Janssen, R. A. J. A Low-bandgap semiconducting polymer for photovoltaic devices and infrared emitting diodes. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2002, 12, 709–712; (c) Zhang, Z. G.; Bai, Y.; Li, Y. Benzotriazole based 2D-conjugated polymer donors for high performance polymer solar cells. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2021, 39, 1–13.
- 31(a) Svensson, M.; Zhang, F.; Veenstra, S. C.; Verhees, W. J. H.; Hummelen, J. C.; Kroon, J. M.; Inganäs, O.; Andersson, M. R. High-performance polymer solar cells of an alternating polyfluorene copolymer and a fullerene derivative. Adv. Mater. 2003, 15, 988–991; (b) Slooff, L. H.; Veenstra, S. C.; Kroon, J. M.; Moet, D. J. D.; Sweelssen, J.; Koetse, M. M. Determining the internal quantum efficiency of highly efficient polymer solar cells through optical modeling. Appl. Phys. Lett. 2007, 90, 143506.
- 32 Zhu, Z.; Waller, D.; Gaudiana, R.; Morana, M.; Muhlbacher, D.; Scharber, M.; Brabec, C. Panchromatic conjugated polymers containing alternating donor/acceptor units for photovoltaic applications. Macromolecules 2007, 40, 1981–1986.
- 33 Blouin, N.; Michaud, A.; Leclerc, M. A low-bandgap poly(2,7-carbazole) derivative for use in high-performance solar cells. Adv. Mater. 2007, 19, 2295.
- 34 Chen, Z.; Cai, P.; Chen, J.; Liu, X.; Zhang, L.; Lan, L.; Peng, J.; Ma, Y.; Cao, Y. Low band-gap conjugated polymers with strong interchain aggregation and very high hole mobility towards highly efficient thick-film polymer solar cells. Adv. Mater. 2014, 26, 2586–2591.
- 35 Liu, Y.; Zhao, J.; Li, Z.; Mu, C.; Ma, W.; Hu, H.; Jiang, K.; Lin, H.; Ade, H.; Yan, H. Aggregation and morphology control enables multiple cases of high-efficiency polymer solar cells. Nat. Commun. 2014, 5, 5293.
- 36 Zhao, J.; Li, Y.; Yang, G.; Jiang, K.; Lin, H.; Ade, H.; Ma, W.; Yan, H. Efficient organic solar cells processed from hydrocarbon solvents. Nat. Energy 2016, 1, 15027.
- 37(a) Ye, L.; Zhang, S.; Huo, L.; Zhang, M.; Hou, J. Molecular design toward highly efficient photovoltaic polymers based on two-dimensional conjugated benzodithiophene. Acc. Chem. Res. 2014, 47, 1595–1603; (b) Chen, H. Y.; Hou, J.; Zhang, S.; Liang, Y.; Yang, G.; Yang, Y.; Yu, L.; Wu, Y.; Li, G. Polymer solar cells with enhanced open-circuit voltage and efficiency. Nat. Photon. 2009, 3, 649–653.
- 38(a) Yao, H.; Ye, L.; Zhang, H.; Li, S.; Zhang, S.; Hou, J. J. C. R. Molecular design of benzodithiophene-based organic photovoltaic materials. Chem. Rev. 2016, 116, 7397–7457; (b) Zheng, Z.; Yao, H.; Ye, L.; Xu, Y.; Zhang, S.; Hou, J. PBDB-T and its derivatives: A family of polymer donors enables over 17% efficiency in organic photovoltaics. Mater. Today 2020, 35, 115–130; (c) Fu, H.; Wang, Z.; Sun, Y. Polymer donors for high-performance non-fullerene organic solar cells. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 4442–4453; (d) Hou, J.; Park, M. H.; Zhang, S.; Yao, Y.; Chen, L. M.; Li, J. H.; Yang, Y. Bandgap and Molecular Energy Level Control of Conjugated Polymer Photovoltaic Materials Based on Benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene. Macromolecules 2008, 41, 6012–6018.
- 39 Liang, Y.; Wu, Y.; Feng, D.; Tsai, S. T.; Son, H. J.; Li, G.; Yu, L. Development of new semiconducting polymers for high performance solar cells. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 56–57.
- 40(a) Liang, Y.; Feng, D.; Wu, Y.; Tsai, S. T.; Li, G.; Ray, C.; Yu, L. Highly efficient solar cell polymers developed via fine-tuning of structural and electronic properties. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 7792–7799; (b) Liang, Y.; Xu, Z.; Xia, J.; Tsai, S. T.; Wu, Y.; Li, G.; Ray, C.; Yu, L. For the bright future-bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells with power conversion efficiency of 7.4%. Adv. Mater. 2010, 22, 135–138.
- 41 Lou, S. J.; Szarko, J. M.; Xu, T.; Yu, L.; Marks, T. J.; Chen, L. X. Effects of additives on the morphology of solution phase aggregates formed by active layer components of high-efficiency organic solar cells. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 20661–20663.
- 42(a) He, Z.; Zhong, C.; Su, S.; Xu, M.; Wu, H.; Cao, Y. Enhanced power-conversion efficiency in polymer solar cells using an inverted device structure. Nat. Photon. 2012, 6, 591–595; (b) Huang, F.; Wu, H.; Wang, D.; Yang, W.; Cao, Y. Novel electroluminescent conjugated polyelectrolytes based on polyfluorene. Chem. Mater. 2004, 16, 708–716; (c) Wu, H.; Huang, F.; Mo, Y.; Yang, W.; Wang, D.; Peng, J.; Cao, Y. Efficient electron injection from a bilayer cathode consisting of aluminum and alcohol-/water-soluble conjugated polymers. Adv. Mater. 2004, 16, 1826–1830; (d) Chen, L. M.; Xu, Z.; Hong, Z.; Yang, Y. Interface investigation and engineering-achieving high performance polymer photovoltaic devices. J. Mater. Chem. 2010, 20, 2575–2598.
- 43(a) Hou, J.; Tan, Z. a.; Yan, Y.; He, Y.; Yang, C.; Li, Y. Synthesis and photovoltaic properties of two-dimensional conjugated polythiophenes with bi(thienylenevinylene) side chains. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 4911–4916; (b) Li, Y.; Zou, Y. Conjugated polymer photovoltaic materials with broad absorption band and high charge carrier mobility. Adv. Mater. 2008, 20, 2952–2958.
- 44 Huo, L.; Zhang, S.; Guo, X.; Xu, F.; Li, Y.; Hou, J. Replacing alkoxy groups with alkylthienyl groups: a feasible approach to improve the properties of photovoltaic polymers. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 9697–9702.
- 45 Liao, S. H.; Jhuo, H. J.; Cheng, Y. S.; Chen, S. A. Fullerene derivative-doped zinc oxide nanofilm as the cathode of inverted polymer solar cells with low-bandgap polymer (PTB7-Th) for high performance. Adv. Mater. 2013, 25, 4766–4771.
- 46(a) Cui, C.; Wong, W. Y.; Li, Y. Improvement of open-circuit voltage and photovoltaic properties of 2D-conjugated polymers by alkylthio substitution. Energy Environ. Sci. 2014, 7, 2276–2284; (b) Ye, L.; Zhang, S.; Zhao, W.; Yao, H.; Hou, J. Highly efficient 2D-conjugated benzodithiophene-based photovoltaic polymer with linear alkylthio side chain. Chem. Mater. 2014, 26, 3603–3605; (c) Zhang, S.; Ye, L.; Zhao, W.; Yang, B.; Wang, Q.; Hou, J. Realizing over 10% efficiency in polymer solar cell by device optimization. Sci. China Chem. 2015, 58, 248–256.
- 47 Qian, D. P.; Ye, L.; Zhang, M. J.; Liang, Y. R.; Li, L. J.; Huang, Y.; Guo, X.; Zhang, S. Q.; Tan, Z. A.; Hou, J. H. Design, application, and morphology study of a new photovoltaic polymer with strong aggregation in solution state. Macromolecules 2012, 45, 9611–9617.
- 48 Zhao, W.; Qian, D.; Zhang, S.; Li, S.; Inganas, O.; Gao, F.; Hou, J. Fullerene-free polymer solar cells with over 11% efficiency and excellent thermal stability. Adv. Mater. 2016, 28, 4734–4739.
- 49(a) Zhang, M.; Guo, X.; Zhang, S.; Hou, J. Synergistic effect of fluorination on molecular energy level modulation in highly efficient photovoltaic polymers. Adv. Mater. 2014, 26, 1118–1123; (b) Zhang, M.; Guo, X.; Ma, W.; Ade, H.; Hou, J. A Large-bandgap conjugated polymer for versatile photovoltaic applications with high performance. Adv. Mater. 2015, 27, 4655–4660; (c) Zhang, T.; An, C.; Lv, Q.; Qin, J.; Cui, Y.; Zheng, Z.; Xu, B.; Zhang, S.; Zhang, J.; He, C.; Hou, J. Optimizing polymer aggregation and blend morphology for boosting the photovoltaic performance of polymer solar cells via a random terpolymerization strategy. J. Energy Chem. 2021, 59, 30–37; (d) Zhang, T.; An, C.; Ma, K.; Xian, K.; Xue, C.; Zhang, S.; Xu, B.; Hou, J. Increased conjugated backbone twisting to improve carbonylated-functionalized polymer photovoltaic performance. Org. Chem. Front. 2020, 7, 261–266.
- 50 He, C.; Hou, J. Advances in solution-processed all-small-molecule organic solar cells with non-fullerene electron acceptors. Acta Phys.- Chim. Sin. 2018, 34, 1202–1210.
- 51 Chen, Y. H.; Lin, L. Y.; Lu, C. W.; Lin, F.; Huang, Z. Y.; Lin, H. W.; Wang, P. H.; Liu, Y. H.; Wong, K. T.; Wen, J.; Miller, D. J.; Darling, S. B. Vacuum-deposited small-molecule organic solar cells with high power conversion efficiencies by judicious molecular design and device optimization. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 13616–13623.
- 52 Karpe, S.; Cravino, A.; Frère, P.; Allain, M.; Mabon, G.; Roncali, J. 3D π-conjugated oligothiophenes based on sterically twisted bithiophene nodes. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2007, 17, 1163–1171.
- 53(a) Lin, Y.; Li, Y.; Zhan, X. Small molecule semiconductors for high-efficiency organic photovoltaics. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2012, 41, 4245–4272; (b) Chen, Y.; Wan, X.; Long, G. High performance photovoltaic applications using solution-processed small molecules. Acc. Chem. Res. 2013, 46, 2645–2655; (c) Liu, X.; Chen, H.; Tan, S. Overview of high-efficiency organic photovoltaic materials and devices. Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev. 2015, 52, 1527–1538; (d) Tang, A.; Zhan, C.; Yao, J.; Zhou, E. Design of diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based small molecules for organic-solar-cell applications. Adv. Mater. 2017, 29, 1600013.
- 54 Wang, Z.; Zhu, L.; Shuai, Z.; Wei, Z. A-π-D-π-A Electron-Donating Small Molecules for Solution-Processed Organic Solar Cells: A Review. Macromol. Rapid Commun. 2017, 38, 1700470.
- 55 Schulze, K.; Uhrich, C.; Schüppel, R.; Leo, K.; Pfeiffer, M.; Brier, E.; Reinold, E.; Bäuerle, P. Efficient vacuum-deposited organic solar cells based on a new low-bandgap oligothiophene and fullerene C60. Adv. Mater. 2006, 18, 2872–2875.
- 56 Liu, Y.; Wan, X.; Wang, F.; Zhou, J.; Long, G.; Tian, J.; You, J.; Yang, Y.; Chen, Y. Spin-coated small molecules for high performance solar cells. Adv. Energy Mater. 2011, 1, 771–775.
- 57(a) Li, Z.; He, G.; Wan, X.; Liu, Y.; Zhou, J.; Long, G.; Zuo, Y.; Zhang, M.; Chen, Y. Solution processable rhodanine-based small molecule organic photovoltaic cells with a power conversion efficiency of 6.1%. Adv. Energy Mater. 2012, 2, 74–77; (b) Kan, B.; Li, M.; Zhang, Q.; Liu, F.; Wan, X.; Wang, Y.; Ni, W.; Long, G.; Yang, X.; Feng, H.; Zuo, Y.; Zhang, M.; Huang, F.; Cao, Y.; Russell, T. P.; Chen, Y. A series of simple oligomer-like small molecules based on oligothiophenes for solution-processed solar cells with high efficiency. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 3886–3893; (c) Zhang, Q.; Kan, B.; Liu, F.; Long, G.; Wan, X.; Chen, X.; Zuo, Y.; Ni, W.; Zhang, H.; Li, M.; Hu, Z.; Huang, F.; Cao, Y.; Liang, Z.; Zhang, M.; Russell, T. P.; Chen, Y. Small-molecule solar cells with efficiency over 9%. Nat. Photonics 2015, 9, 35–41.
- 58 Kesters, J.; Verstappen, P.; Kelchtermans, M.; Lutsen, L.; Vanderzande, D., Maes, W. Porphyrin-based bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaics: the rise of the colors of life. Adv. Energy Mater. 2015, 9, 1500218.
- 59(a) Kumar, C. V.; Cabau, L.; Koukaras, E. N.; Sharma, A.; Sharma, G. D.; Palomares, E. A-π-D-π-A based porphyrin for solution processed small molecule bulk heterojunction solar cells. J. Mater. Chem. A 2015, 3, 16287–16301; (b) Gao, K.; Xiao, L.; Kan, Y.; Yang, B.; Peng, J.; Cao, Y.; Liu, F.; Russell, T. P.; Peng, X. Solution-processed bulk heterojunction solar cells based on porphyrin small molecules with very low energy losses comparable to perovskite solar cells and high quantum efficiencies. J. Mater. Chem. C 2016, 4, 3843–3850; (c) Liang, T.; Xiao, L.; Gao, K.; Xu, W.; Peng, X.; Cao, Y. Modifying the chemical structure of a porphyrin small molecule with benzothiophene groups for the reproducible fabrication of high performance solar cells. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2017, 9, 7131–7138.
- 60 Sun, Y.; Welch, G. C.; Leong, W. L.; Takacs, C. J.; Bazan, G. C.; Heeger, A. J. Solution-processed small-molecule solar cells with 6.7% efficiency. Nat. Mater. 2012, 11, 44–48.
- 61 Liu, Y.; Wan, X.; Wang, F.; Zhou, J.; Long, G.; Tian, J.; Chen, Y. High- performance solar cells using a solution-processed small molecule containing benzodithiophene unit. Adv. Mater. 2011, 23, 5387–5391.
- 62 Zhou, J.; Zuo, Y.; Wan, X.; Long, G.; Zhang, Q.; Ni, W.; Liu, Y.; Li, Z.; He, G.; Li, C.; Kan, B.; Li, M.; Chen, Y. Solution-processed and high-performance organic solar cells using small molecules with a benzodithiophene unit. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 8484–8487.
- 63(a) Yang, L.; Zhang, S.; He, C.; Zhang, J.; Yao, H.; Yang, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Zhao, W.; Hou, J. New wide band gap donor for efficient fullerene- free all-small-molecule organic solar cells. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 1958–1966;
(b) Tang, H.; Yan, C.; Huang, J.; Kan, Z.; Xiao, Z.; Sun, K.; Li, G.; Lu, S. Benzodithiophene-based small-molecule donors for next-generation all-small-molecule organic photovoltaics. Matter. 2020, 3, 1403–1432.
10.1016/j.matt.2020.09.001 Google Scholar
- 64 Hu, D.; Yang, Q.; Chen, H.; Wobben, F.; Le Corre, V. M.; Singh, R.; Liu, T.; Ma, R.; Tang, H.; Koster, L. J. A.; Duan, T.; Yan, H.; Kan, Z.; Xiao, Z.; Lu, S. 15.34% efficiency all-small-molecule organic solar cells with an improved fill factor enabled by a fullerene additive. Energy Environ. Sci. 2020, 13, 2134–2141.
- 65 Kroto, H. W.; Heath, J. R.; O'Brien, S. C.; Curl, R. F.; Smalley, R. E. C60:Buckminsterfullerene. Nature 1985, 318, 162–163.
- 66 Hummelen, J. C.; Knight, B. W.; LePeq, F.; Wudl, F.; Yao, J.; Wilkins, C. L. Preparation and Characterization of Fulleroid and Methanofullerene Derivatives. J. Org. Chem. 1995, 60, 532–538.
- 67 He, Y.; Chen, H. Y.; Hou, J.; Li, Y. Indene−C60 bisadduct: a new acceptor for high-performance polymer solar cells. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 1377–1382.
- 68(a) Li, M.; Gao, K.; Wan, X.; Zhang, Q.; Kan, B.; Xia, R.; Liu, F.; Yang, X.; Feng, H.; Ni, W.; Wang, Y.; Peng, J.; Zhang, H.; Liang, Z.; Yip, H. L.; Peng, X.; Cao, Y.; Chen, Y. Solution-processed organic tandem solar cells with power conversion efficiencies>12%. Nat. Photon. 2017, 11, 85–90; (b) Zhao, J.; Li, Y.; Yang, G.; Jiang, K.; Lin, H.; Ade, H.; Ma, W.; Yan, H. Efficient organic solar cells processed from hydrocarbon solvents. Nat. Energy 2016, 1, 15027; (c) Chen, H. Y.; Hou, J.; Zhang, S.; Liang, Y.; Yang, G.; Yang, Y.; Yu, L.; Wu, Y.; Li, G. Polymer solar cells with enhanced open-circuit voltage and efficiency. Nat. Photon. 2009, 3, 649–653; (d) Li, Y. Molecular design of photovoltaic materials for polymer solar cells: toward suitable electronic energy levels and broad absorption. Acc. Chem. Res. 2012, 45, 723–733.
- 69(a) Dang, M. T.; Grant, T. M.; Yan, H.; Seferos, D. S.; Lessard, B. H.; Bender, T. P. Bis(tri-n-alkylsilyl oxide) silicon phthalocyanines: a start to establishing a structure property relationship as both ternary additives and non-fullerene electron acceptors in bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic devices. J. Mater. Chem. A 2017, 5, 12168–12182; (b) Shu, Y.; Lim, Y. F.; Li, Z.; Purushothaman, B.; Hallani, R.; Kim, J. E.; Parkin, S. R.; Malliaras, G. G.; Anthony, J. E. A survey of electron-deficient pentacenes as acceptors in polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells. Chem. Sci. 2011, 2, 363–368; (c) Li, H.; Earmme, T.; Ren, G.; Saeki, A.; Yoshikawa, S.; Murari, N. M.; Subramaniyan, S.; Crane, M. J.; Seki, S.; Jenekhe, S. A. Beyond fullerenes: Design of nonfullerene acceptors for efficient organic photovoltaics. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2014, 136, 14589–14597; (d) Kwon, O. K.; Park, J. H.; Kim, D. W.; Park, S. K.; Park, S. Y. An all-small-molecule organic solar cell with high efficiency nonfullerene acceptor. Adv. Mater. 2015, 27, 1951–1956; (e) Long, X.; Ding, Z.; Dou, C.; Zhang, J.; Liu, J.; Wang, L. Polymer acceptor based on double b←n bridged bipyridine (bnbp) unit for high-efficiency all-polymer solar cells. Adv. Mater. 2016, 28, 6504–6508; (f) Patil, Y.; Misra, R.; Keshtov, M. L.; Sharma, G. D. Small molecule carbazole-based diketopyrrolopyrroles with tetracyanobutadiene acceptor unit as a non-fullerene acceptor for bulk heterojunction organic solar cells. J. Mater. Chem. A 2017, 5, 3311–3319; (g) Yan, C.; Barlow, S.; Wang, Z.; Yan, H.; Jen, A. K. Y.; Marder, S. R.; Zhan, X. Non-fullerene acceptors for organic solar cells. Nat. Rev. Mater. 2018, 3, 18003; (h) Guo, X.; Facchetti, A.; Marks, T. J. Imide- and amide-functionalized polymer semiconductors. Chem. Rev. 2014, 114, 8943–9021; (i) Suraru, S. L.; Würthner, F. Strategies for the synthesis of functional naphthalene diimides. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2014, 53, 7428–7448.
- 70 Li, Z.; Jiang, K.; Yang, G.; Lai, J. Y.; Ma, T.; Zhao, J.; Ma, W.; Yan, H. Donor polymer design enables efficient non-fullerene organic solar cells. Nat. Commun. 2016, 7, 13094.
- 71(a) Bloking, J. T.; Giovenzana, T.; Higgs, A. T.; Ponec, A. J.; Hoke, E. T.; Vandewal, K.; Ko, S.; Bao, Z.; Sellinger, A.; McGehee, M. D. Comparing the device physics and morphology of polymer solar cells employing fullerenes and non-fullerene acceptors. Adv. Energy Mater. 2014, 4, 1301426; (b) Distler, A.; Sauermann, T.; Egelhaaf, H. J.; Rodman, S.; Waller, D.; Cheon, K. S.; Lee, M.; Guldi, D. M. The effect of PCBM dimerization on the performance of bulk heterojunction solar cells. Adv. Energy Mater. 2014, 4, 1300693.
- 72 Wong, K. T.; Chao, T. C.; Chi, L. C.; Chu, Y. Y.; Balaiah, A.; Chiu, S. F.; Liu, Y. H.; Wang, Y. Syntheses and structures of novel heteroarene- fused coplanar pi-conjugated chromophores. Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 5033–5036.
- 73 Lin, Y.; Wang, J.; Zhang, Z. G.; Bai, H.; Li, Y.; Zhu, D.; Zhan, X. An electron acceptor challenging fullerenes for efficient polymer solar cells. Adv. Mater. 2015, 27, 1170–1174.
- 74 Zhao, W.; Li, S.; Yao, H.; Zhang, S.; Zhang, Y.; Yang, B.; Hou, J. Molecular optimization enables over 13% efficiency in organic solar cells. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 7148–7151.
- 75(a) Cui, Y.; Yao, H.; Hong, L.; Zhang, T.; Xu, Y.; Xian, K.; Gao, B.; Qin, J.; Zhang, J.; Wei, Z.; Hou, J. Achieving over 15% efficiency in organic photovoltaic cells via copolymer design. Adv. Mater. 2019, 31, 1808356; (b) Zhang, H.; Yao, H.; Hou, J.; Zhu, J.; Zhang, J.; Li, W.; Yu, R.; Gao, B.; Zhang, S.; Hou, J. Over 14% efficiency in organic solar cells enabled by chlorinated nonfullerene small-molecule acceptors. Adv. Mater. 2018, 30, 1800613.
- 76 Li, S.; Li, C. Z.; Shi, M.; Chen, H. New phase for organic solar cell research: emergence of y-series electron acceptors and their perspectives. ACS Energy Lett. 2020, 5, 1554–1567.
- 77 Yuan, J.; Huang, T.; Cheng, P.; Zou, Y.; Zhang, H.; Yang, J. L.; Chang, S. Y.; Zhang, Z.; Huang, W.; Wang, R.; Meng, D.; Gao, F.; Yang, Y. Enabling low voltage losses and high photocurrent in fullerene-free organic photovoltaics. Nat. Commun. 2019, 10, 570.
- 78 Wang, R.; Yuan, J.; Wang, R.; Han, G.; Huang, T.; Huang, W.; Xue, J.; Wang, H. C.; Zhang, C.; Zhu, C.; Cheng, P.; Meng, D.; Yi, Y.; Wei, K. H.; Zou, Y.; Yang, Y. Rational tuning of molecular interaction and energy level alignment enables high-performance organic photovoltaics. Adv. Mater. 2019, 31, 1904215.
- 79(a) Ma, X.; Luo, M.; Gao, W.; Yuan, J.; An, Q.; Zhang, M.; Hu, Z.; Gao, J.; Wang, J.; Zou, Y.; Yang, C.; Zhang, F. Achieving 14.11% efficiency of ternary polymer solar cells by simultaneously optimizing photon harvesting and exciton distribution. J. Mater. Chem. A 2019, 7, 7843–7851; (b) Zhu, C.; Yuan, J.; Cai, F.; Meng, L.; Zhang, H.; Chen, H.; Li, J.; Qiu, B.; Peng, H.; Chen, S.; Hu, Y.; Yang, C.; Gao, F.; Zou, Y.; Li, Y. Tuning the electron-deficient core of a non-fullerene acceptor to achieve over 17% efficiency in a single-junction organic solar cell. Energy Environ. Sci. 2020, 13, 2459–2466; (c) Cai, F.; Zhu, C.; Yuan, J.; Li, Z.; Meng, L.; Liu, W.; Peng, H.; Jiang, L.; Li, Y.; Zou, Y. Efficient organic solar cells based on a new "Y-series" non-fullerene acceptor with an asymmetric electron-deficient-core. Chem. Commun. 2020, 56, 4340–4343.
- 80(a) Yuan, J.; Zhang, Y.; Zhou, L.; Zhang, C.; Lau, T. K.; Zhang, G.; Lu, X.; Yip, H. L.; So, S. K.; Beaupre, S.; Mainville, M.; Johnson, P. A.; Leclerc, M.; Chen, H.; Peng, H.; Li, Y.; Zou, Y. Fused benzothiadiazole: A building block for n-type organic acceptor to achieve high-performance organic solar cells. Adv. Mater. 2019, 31, 1807577; (b) Zhang, Y.; Cai, F.; Yuan, J.; Wei, Q.; Zhou, L.; Qiu, B.; Hu, Y.; Li, Y.; Peng, H.; Zou, Y. A new non-fullerene acceptor based on the combination of a heptacyclic benzothiadiazole unit and a thiophene-fused end group achieving over 13% efficiency. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2019, 21, 26557–26563.
- 81(a) Yue, Q.; Wu, H.; Zhou, Z.; Zhang, M.; Liu, F.; Zhu, X. 13.7% Efficiency small-molecule solar cells enabled by a combination of material and morphology optimization. Adv. Mater. 2019, 31, 1904283; (b) Zhou, Z.; Liu, W.; Zhou, G.; Zhang, M.; Qian, D.; Zhang, J.; Chen, S.; Xu, S.; Yang, C.; Gao, F.; Zhu, H.; Liu, F.; Zhu, X. Subtle molecular tailoring induces significant morphology optimization enabling over 16% efficiency organic solar cells with efficient charge generation. Adv. Mater. 2020, 32, 1906324.
- 82 Yuan, J.; Zhang, Y.; Zhou, L.; Zhang, G.; Yip, H.-L.; Lau, T.-K.; Lu, X.; Zhu, C.; Peng, H.; Johnson, P. A.; Leclerc, M.; Cao, Y.; Ulanski, J.; Li, Y.; Zou, Y. Single-junction organic solar cell with over 15% efficiency using fused-ring acceptor with electron-deficient core. Joule 2019, 3, 1140–1151.
- 83 Cui, Y.; Yao, H.; Zhang, J.; Zhang, T.; Wang, Y.; Hong, L.; Xian, K.; Xu, B.; Zhang, S.; Peng, J.; Wei, Z.; Gao, F.; Hou, J. Over 16% efficiency organic photovoltaic cells enabled by a chlorinated acceptor with increased open-circuit voltages. Nat. Commun. 2019, 10, 2515.
- 84 Cui, Y.; Yao, H.; Zhang, J.; Xian, K.; Zhang, T.; Hong, L.; Wang, Y.; Xu, Y.; Ma, K.; An, C.; He, C.; Wei, Z.; Gao, F.; Hou, J. Single-junction organic photovoltaic cells with approaching 18% efficiency. Adv. Mater. 2020, 32, 1908205.
- 85 Liu, Q.; Jiang, Y.; Jin, K.; Qin, J.; Xu, J.; Li, W.; Xiong, J.; Liu, J.; Xiao, Z.; Sun, K.; Yang, S.; Zhang, X.; Ding, L. 18% Efficiency organic solar cells. Sci. Bull. 2020, 65, 272–275.
- 86 Guo, X.; Watson, M. D. Conjugated polymers from naphthalene bisimide. Org. Lett. 2008, 10, 5333–5336.
- 87 Yan, H.; Chen, Z.; Zheng, Y.; Newman, C.; Quinn, J. R.; Dötz, F.; Kastler, M.; Facchetti, A. A high-mobility electron-transporting polymer for printed transistors. Nature 2009, 457, 679–686.
- 88 Wang, G.; Melkonyan, F. S.; Facchetti, A.; Marks, T. J. All-polymer solar cells: Recent progress, challenges, and prospects. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 4129–4142.
- 89 Zhang, F.; Jespersen, K. G.; Björström, C.; Svensson, M.; Andersson, M. R.; Sundström, V.; Magnusson, K.; Moons, E.; Yartsev, A.; Inganäs, O. Influence of solvent mixing on the morphology and performance of solar cells based on polyfluorene copolymer/fullerene blends. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2006, 16, 667–674.
- 90 Peet, J.; Kim, J. Y.; Coates, N. E.; Ma, W. L.; Moses, D.; Heeger, A. J.; Bazan, G. C. Efficiency enhancement in low-bandgap polymer solar cells by processing with alkane dithiols. Nat. Mater. 2007, 6, 497–500.
- 91(a) Liao, H. C.; Ho, C. C.; Chang, C. Y.; Jao, M. H.; Darling, S. B.; Su, W. F. Additives for morphology control in high-efficiency organic solar cells. Mater. Today 2013, 16, 326–336; (b) Qin, Y.; Zhang, S.; Xu, Y.; Ye, L.; Wu, Y.; Kong, J.; Xu, B.; Yao, H.; Ade, H.; Hou, J. Reduced nonradiative energy loss caused by aggregation of nonfullerene acceptor in organic solar cells. Adv. Energy Mater. 2019, 9, 1901823; (c) Yu, R.; Yao, H.; Chen, Z.; Xin, J.; Hong, L.; Xu, Y.; Zu, Y.; Ma, W.; Hou, J. Enhanced π-π interactions of nonfullerene acceptors by volatilizable solid additives in efficient polymer solar cells. Adv. Mater. 2019, 31, 1900477.
- 92 Chawdhury, N.; Köhler, A.; Harrison, M. G.; Hwang, D. H.; Holmes, A. B.; Friend, R. H. The effects of H2O and O2 on the photocurrent spectra of MEH-PPV. Synth. Met. 1999, 102, 871–872.
- 93 Sariciftci, N. S.; Smilowitz, L.; Heeger, A. J.; Wudl, F. Photoinduced electron transfer from a conducting polymer to buckminsterfullerene. Science 1992, 258, 1474–1476.
- 94 Morita, S.; Zakhidov, A. A.; Yoshino, K. Doping effect of buckminsterfullerene in conducting polymer: Change of absorption spectrum and quenching of luminescene. Solid State Commun. 1992, 82, 249–252.
- 95 Deibel, C.; Strobel, T.; Dyakonov, V. J. A. M. Role of the charge transfer state in organic donor-acceptor solar cells. Adv. Mater. 2010, 22, 4097–4111.
- 96 Bakulin, A. A.; Rao, A.; Pavelyev, V. G.; van Loosdrecht, P. H.; Pshenichnikov, M. S.; Niedzialek, D.; Cornil, J.; Beljonne, D.; Friend, R. H. The role of driving energy and delocalized States for charge separation in organic semiconductors. Science 2012, 335, 1340–1344.
- 97 Gregg, B. A. Entropy of charge separation in organic photovoltaic cells: the benefit of higher dimensionality. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2011, 2, 3013–3015.
- 98 Aplan, M. P.; Munro, J. M.; Lee, Y.; Brigeman, A. N.; Grieco, C.; Wang, Q.; Giebink, N. C.; Dabo, I.; Asbury, J. B.; Gomez, E. D. Revealing the importance of energetic and entropic contributions to the driving force for charge photogeneration. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2018, 10, 39933–39941.
- 99 Gélinas, S.; Paré-Labrosse, O.; Brosseau, C. N.; Albert-Seifried, S.; McNeill, C. R.; Kirov, K. R.; Howard, I. A.; Leonelli, R.; Friend, R. H.; Silva, C. The binding energy of charge-transfer excitons localized at polymeric semiconductor heterojunctions. J. Phys. Chem. C 2011, 115, 7114–7119.
- 100(a) Yu, J.; Zheng, Y.; Huang, J. Towards high performance organic photovoltaic cells: A review of recent development in organic photovoltaics. Polymers 2014, 6, 2473–2509; (b) Deibel, C.; Strobel, T.; Dyakonov, V. Role of the charge transfer state in organic donor-acceptor solar cells. Adv. Mater. 2010, 22, 4097–4111; (c) Strobel, T.; Deibel, C.; Dyakonov, V. Role of polaron pair diffusion and surface losses in organic semiconductor devices. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2010, 105, 266602.
- 101 Li, W.; Hendriks, K. H.; Furlan, A.; Wienk, M. M.; Janssen, R. A. High quantum efficiencies in polymer solar cells at energy losses below 0.6 eV. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 2231–2234.
- 102 Liu, J.; Chen, S.; Qian, D.; Gautam, B.; Yang, G.; Zhao, J.; Bergqvist, J.; Zhang, F.; Ma, W.; Ade, H.; Inganäs, O.; Gundogdu, K.; Gao, F.; Yan, H. Fast charge separation in a non-fullerene organic solar cell with a small driving force. Nat. Energy 2016, 1, 16089.
- 103 Hou, J.; Inganäs, O.; Friend, R. H.; Gao, F. Organic solar cells based on non-fullerene acceptors. Nat. Mater. 2018, 17, 119.
- 104(a) Huo, Y.; Zhang, H. L.; Zhan, X. Nonfullerene all-small-molecule organic solar cells. ACS Energy Lett. 2019, 4, 1241–1250; (b) Lin, Y.; Zhan, X. Oligomer molecules for efficient organic photovoltaics. Acc. Chem. Res. 2016, 49, 175–183.
- 105 Walker, B.; Han, X.; Kim, C.; Sellinger, A.; Nguyen, T. Q. Solution- processed organic solar cells from dye molecules: an investigation of diketopyrrolopyrrole:vinazene heterojunctions. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2012, 4, 244–50.
- 106 Sun, K.; Xiao, Z.; Lu, S.; Zajaczkowski, W.; Pisula, W.; Hanssen, E.; White, J. M.; Williamson, R. M.; Subbiah, J.; Ouyang, J.; Holmes, A. B.; Wong, W. W. H.; Jones, D. J. A molecular nematic liquid crystalline material for high-performance organic photovoltaics. Nat. Commun. 2015, 6, 6013.
- 107(a) Qin, J.; An, C.; Zhang, J.; Ma, K.; Yang, Y.; Zhang, T.; Li, S.; Xian, K.; Cui, Y.; Tang, Y.; Ma, W.; Yao, H.; Zhang, S.; Xu, B.; He, C.; Hou, J. 15.3% efficiency all-small-molecule organic solar cells enabled by symmetric phenyl substitution. Sci. China Mater. 2020, 63, 1142–1150; (b) Nian, L.; Kan, Y.; Gao, K.; Zhang, M.; Li, N.; Zhou, G.; Jo, S. B.; Shi, X.; Lin, F.; Rong, Q.; Liu, F.; Zhou, G.; Jen, A. K. Y. Approaching 16% Efficiency in All-small-molecule organic solar cells based on ternary strategy with a highly crystalline acceptor. Joule 2020, 4, 2223–2236.
- 108(a) Wang, G.; Melkonyan, F. S.; Facchetti, A.; Marks, T. J. All-polymer solar cells: Recent progress, challenges, and prospects. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 4129–4142; (b) Facchetti, A. Polymer donor–polymer acceptor (all-polymer) solar cells. Mater. Today 2013, 16, 123–132; (c) Sun, H.; Yu, H.; Shi, Y.; Yu, J.; Peng, Z.; Zhang, X.; Liu, B.; Wang, J.; Singh, R.; Lee, J.; Li, Y.; Wei, Z.; Liao, Q.; Kan, Z.; Ye, L.; Yan, H.; Gao, F.; Guo, X. A narrow-bandgap n-type polymer with an acceptor-acceptor backbone enabling efficient all-polymer solar cells. Adv. Mater. 2020, 32, 2004183; (d) Luo, Z.; Liu, T.; Ma, R.; Xiao, Y.; Zhan, L.; Zhang, G.; Sun, H.; Ni, F.; Chai, G.; Wang, J.; Zhong, C.; Zou, Y.; Guo, X.; Lu, X.; Chen, H.; Yan, H.; Yang, C. Precisely controlling the position of bromine on the end group enables well-regular polymer acceptors for all-polymer solar cells with efficiencies over 15%. Adv. Mater. 2020, 32, 2005942; (d) Peng, F.; An, K.; Zhong, W.; Li, Z.; Ying, L.; Li, N.; Huang, Z.; Zhu, C.; Fan, B.; Huang, F.; Cao, Y. A universal fluorinated polymer acceptor enables all-polymer solar cells with >15% efficiency. ACS Energy Lett. 2020, 5, 3702–3707.
- 109 Li, Y.; Xu, G.; Cui, C.; Li, Y. Flexible and semitransparent organic solar cells. Adv. Energy Mater. 2018, 8, 1701791.
- 110 Xie, Y.; Cai, Y.; Zhu, L.; Xia, R.; Ye, L.; Feng, X.; Yip, H. L.; Liu, F.; Lu, G.; Tan, S.; Sun, Y. Fibril network strategy enables high-performance semitransparent organic solar cells. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2020, 30, 2002181.
- 111 Po, R.; Bernardi, A.; Calabrese, A.; Carbonera, C.; Corso, G.; Pellegrino, A. From lab to fab: How must the polymer solar cell materials design change?-an industrial perspective. Energy Environ. Sci. 2014, 7, 925–943.
- 112 Osedach, T. P.; Andrew, T. L.; Bulović, V. Effect of synthetic accessibility on the commercial viability of organic photovoltaics. Energy Environ. Sci. 2013, 6, 711–718.
- 113 Liu, X.; Wei, Y.; Zhang, X.; Qin, L.; Wei, Z.; Huang, H. An A-D-A′-D-A type unfused nonfullerene acceptor for organic solar cells with approaching 14% efficiency. Sci. China Chem. 2021, 64, 228–231.
- 114 Yu, Z. P.; Liu, Z. X.; Chen, F. X.; Qin, R.; Lau, T. K.; Yin, J. L.; Kong, X.; Lu, X.; Shi, M.; Li, C. Z.; Chen, H. Simple non-fused electron acceptors for efficient and stable organic solar cells. Nat. Commun. 2019, 10, 2152.
- 115 Chen, Y. N.; Li, M.; Wang, Y.; Wang, J.; Zhang, M.; Zhou, Y.; Yang, J.; Liu, Y.; Liu, F.; Tang, Z.; Bao, Q.; Bo, Z. A fully non-fused ring acceptor with planar backbone and near-ir absorption for high performance polymer solar cells. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 22714–22720.
- 116(a) Sun, C.; Pan, F.; Bin, H.; Zhang, J.; Xue, L.; Qiu, B.; Wei, Z.; Zhang, Z. G.; Li, Y. A low cost and high performance polymer donor material for polymer solar cells. Nat. Commun. 2018, 9, 743; (b) Zhang, S.; Qin, Y.; Zhu, J.; Hou, J. Over 14% efficiency in polymer solar cells enabled by a chlorinated polymer donor. Adv. Mater. 2018, 30, 1800868.
- 117 Yang, C.; Zhang, S.; Ren, J.; Gao, M.; Bi, P.; Ye, L.; Hou, J. Molecular design of a non-fullerene acceptor enables a P3HT-based organic solar cell with 9.46% efficiency. Energy Environ. Sci. 2020, 13, 2864–2869.
- 118(a) Bi, P.; Ren, J.; Zhang, S.; Wang, J.; Hou, J. PTV-based p-type organic semiconductors: Candidates for low-cost photovoltaic donors with simple synthetic routes. Polymer 2020, 209, 122900; (b) Ren, J.; Bi, P.; Zhang, J.; Liu, J.; Wang, J.; Xu, Y.; Wei, Z.; Zhang, S.; Hou, J. Molecular design revitalizes the low-cost PTV-polymer for highly efficient organic solar cells. Natl. Sci. Rev. 2021, 8, nwab031.
- 119 Yao, H.; Qian, D.; Zhang, H.; Qin, Y.; Xu, B.; Cui, Y.; Yu, R.; Gao, F.; Hou, J. Critical role of molecular electrostatic potential on charge generation in organic solar cells. Chin. J. Chem. 2018, 36, 491–494.
- 120 Wang, R.; Yao, Y.; Zhang, C.; Zhang, Y.; Bin, H.; Xue, L.; Zhang, Z. G.; Xie, X.; Ma, H.; Wang, X.; Li, Y.; Xiao, M. Ultrafast hole transfer mediated by polaron pairs in all-polymer photovoltaic blends. Nat. Commun. 2019, 10, 398.
- 121 Liu, Y.; Zuo, L.; Shi, X.; Jen, A. K. Y.; Ginger, D. S. Unexpectedly slow yet efficient picosecond to nanosecond photoinduced hole-transfer occurs in a polymer/nonfullerene acceptor organic photovoltaic blend. ACS Energy Lett. 2018, 3, 2396–2403.
- 122 Qian, D.; Zheng, Z.; Yao, H.; Tress, W.; Hopper, T. R.; Chen, S.; Li, S.; Liu, J.; Chen, S.; Zhang, J.; Liu, X. K.; Gao, B.; Ouyang, L.; Jin, Y.; Pozina, G.; Buyanova, I. A.; Chen, W. M.; Inganäs, O.; Coropceanu, V.; Bredas, J. L.; Yan, H.; Hou, J.; Zhang, F.; Bakulin, A. A.; Gao, F. Design rules for minimizing voltage losses in high-efficiency organic solar cells. Nat. Mater. 2018, 17, 703–709.
- 123 Eisner, F. D.; Azzouzi, M.; Fei, Z.; Hou, X.; Anthopoulos, T. D.; Dennis, T. J. S.; Heeney, M.; Nelson, J. Hybridization of local exciton and charge-transfer states reduces nonradiative voltage losses in organic solar cells. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 6362–6374.
- 124 Rosenthal, K. D.; Hughes, M. P.; Luginbuhl, B. R.; Ran, N. A.; Karki, A.; Ko, S. J.; Hu, H.; Wang, M.; Ade, H.; Nguyen, T. Q. Quantifying and understanding voltage losses due to nonradiative recombination in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells with low energetic offsets. Adv. Energy Mater. 2019, 9, 1901077.
- 125(a) Xie, Y.; Li, T.; Guo, J.; Bi, P.; Xue, X.; Ryu, H. S.; Cai, Y.; Min, J.; Huo, L.; Hao, X.; Woo, H. Y.; Zhan, X.; Sun, Y. Ternary organic solar cells with small nonradiative recombination loss. ACS Energy Lett. 2019, 4, 1196–1203; (b) Yu, R.; Yao, H.; Cui, Y.; Hong, L.; He, C.; Hou, J. Improved charge transport and reduced nonradiative energy loss enable over 16% efficiency in ternary polymer solar cells. Adv. Mater. 2019, 31, 1902302.
- 126 Luo, Z.; Liu, T.; Wang, Y.; Zhang, G.; Sun, R.; Chen, Z.; Zhong, C.; Wu, J.; Chen, Y.; Zhang, M.; Zou, Y.; Ma, W.; Yan, H.; Min, J.; Li, Y.; Yang, C. Reduced energy loss enabled by a chlorinated thiophene-fused ending-group small molecular acceptor for efficient nonfullerene organic solar cells with 13.6% efficiency. Adv. Energy Mater. 2019, 9, 1900041.
- 127 Qin, Y.; Zhang, S.; Xu, Y.; Ye, L.; Wu, Y.; Kong, J.; Xu, B.; Yao, H.; Ade, H.; Hou, J. Reduced nonradiative energy loss caused by aggregation of nonfullerene acceptor in organic solar cells. Adv. Energy Mater. 2019, 9, 1901823.
- 128 Cui, Y.; Wang, Y.; Bergqvist, J.; Yao, H.; Xu, Y.; Gao, B.; Yang, C.; Zhang, S.; Inganäs, O.; Gao, F.; Hou, J. Wide-gap non-fullerene acceptor enabling high-performance organic photovoltaic cells for indoor applications. Nat. Energy 2019, 4, 768–775.
- 129 Cheng, P.; Zhan, X. Stability of organic solar cells: challenges and strategies. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2016, 45, 2544–2582.
- 130 Deschler, F.; De Sio, A.; von Hauff, E.; Kutka, P.; Sauermann, T.; Egelhaaf, H. J.; Hauch, J.; Da Como, E. The effect of ageing on exciton dynamics, charge separation, and recombination in P3HT/PCBM photovoltaic blends. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2012, 22, 1461–1469.
- 131 Thompson, B. C.; Fréchet, J. M. J. Polymer-fullerene composite solar cells. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 58–77.
- 132 Schaffer, C. J.; Palumbiny, C. M.; Niedermeier, M. A.; Jendrzejewski, C.; Santoro, G.; Roth, S. V.; Müller-Buschbaum, P. A direct evidence of morphological degradation on a nanometer scale in polymer solar cells. Adv. Mater. 2013, 25, 6760–6764.
- 133 Glatthaar, M.; Riede, M.; Keegan, N.; Sylvester-Hvid, K.; Zimmermann, B.; Niggemann, M.; Hinsch, A.; Gombert, A. Efficiency limiting factors of organic bulk heterojunction solar cells identified by electrical impedance spectroscopy. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells. 2007, 91, 390–393.
- 134(a) Heumueller, T.; Mateker, W. R.; Sachs-Quintana, I. T.; Vandewal, K.; Bartelt, J. A.; Burke, T. M.; Ameri, T.; Brabec, C. J.; McGehee, M. D. Reducing burn-in voltage loss in polymer solar cells by increasing the polymer crystallinity. Energy Environ. Sci. 2014, 7, 2974–2980; (b) Carsten, B.; He, F.; Son, H. J.; Xu, T.; Yu, L. Stille polycondensation for synthesis of functional materials. Chem. Rev. 2011, 111, 1493–1528; (c) Upama, M. B.; Wright, M.; Mahmud, M. A.; Elumalai, N. K.; Mahboubi Soufiani, A.; Wang, D.; Xu, C.; Uddin, A. Photo-degradation of high efficiency fullerene-free polymer solar cells. Nanoscale 2017, 9, 18788–18797.
- 135 Du, X.; Heumueller, T.; Gruber, W.; Classen, A.; Unruh, T.; Li, N.; Brabec, C. J. Efficient polymer solar cells based on non-fullerene acceptors with potential device lifetime approaching 10 years. Joule 2019, 3, 215–226.
- 136 Burlingame, Q.; Huang, X.; Liu, X.; Jeong, C.; Coburn, C.; Forrest, S. R. Intrinsically stable organic solar cells under high-intensity illumination. Nature 2019, 573, 394–397.
Citing Literature
