Zinc Oxide-Perylene Diimide Hybrid Electron Transport Layers for Air-Processed Inverted Organic Photovoltaic Devices

Edward Cieplechowicz, Rahim Munir, Michael A. Anderson, Erin L. Ratcliff, Gregory C. Welch

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this work, we report the formation of perylene diimide films, from green solvents, for use as electron transporting layers, when combined with ZnO, in inverted-type organic photovoltaics. A modified N-annulated PDI was functionalized with a tert-butyloxycarbonyl protecting group to solubilize the material, enabling solution processing from green solvents. Post-deposition treatment of films via thermal annealing cleaves the protecting group yielding the known PDIN-H material, rendering films solvent-resistant. The PDIN-H films were characterized by optical absorption spectroscopy, contact angle measurements, and atomic force microscopy. When used to modify the surface of ZnO in inverted-type organic photovoltaics (air-processed and tested) based on the PM6:Y6 and PTQ10:Y6 bulk-heterojunctions, the device power conversion efficiency increases from 9.8 to 11.0% and 7.2 to 9.8%, respectively.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)49096-49103
Number of pages8
JournalACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
Volume13
Issue number41
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 20 2021

Keywords

  • cathodic interlayer
  • green solution processing
  • organic photovoltaics
  • perylene diimide
  • slot-die coating

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Materials Science

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