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Nano Research 2024, 17(3): 1564-1570 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-024-6482-z
Research Article | Issue | Published: 06 February 2024

Propeller-shaped NI isomers of cathode interfacial material for efficient organic solar cells

Show Author's Information Hao Liu1,§,  Jilei Jiang1,§,  Shuixing Dai1( ),  Liangmin Yu2,  Xu Zhang3,  Xianbiao Hou1,  Ke Gao3,  Heqing Jiang4,  Minghua Huang1( )
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
Open Studio for Marine Corrosion and Protection, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266100, China
Science Center for Material Creation and Energy Conversion, Institute of Frontier and Interdisciplinary Science, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
Qingdao Key Laboratory of Functional Membrane Material and Membrane Technology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China

§ Hao Liu and Jilei Jiang contributed equally to this work.

Keywords:
organic solar cells, propeller-shaped molecules, cathode interfacial materials, naphthalimide (NI) isomers
Topics:
Organic solar cells
Cite this article:
Liu H, Jiang J, Dai S, et al. Propeller-shaped NI isomers of cathode interfacial material for efficient organic solar cells. Nano Research, 2024, 17(3): 1564-1570. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-024-6482-z
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Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

Cathode interfacial materials (CIMs) stand as critical elemental in organic solar cells (OSCs), which can align energy levels, and foster ohmic contacts between the cathode and active layer of the OSCs. Nevertheless, the lagging advancement in CIMs has concurrently engendered the oversight of theoretical inquiries pertaining to the impact of molecular structure on their performance. Delving into this realm, we present two propeller-shaped isomers, 4,4',4''-(benzo[1,2-b:3,4-b':5,6-b'']trithiophene-2,5,8-triyl)tris(2-(3-(dimethylamino)propyl)-1H-benzo[de]isoquinoline-1,3(2H)-dione) (3ONIN) and 6,6',6''-(benzo[1,2-b:3,4-b':5,6-b'']trithiophene-2,5,8-triyl)tris(2-(3-(dimethylamino)propyl)-1H-benzo[de]isoquinoline-1,3(2H)-dione) (3PNIN), distinguished by their molecular planarity, as a promising foundation for crafting highly efficient OSCs. This study illuminates the superiority of 3PNIN with more plane structure, exemplified by its enhanced molar extinction coefficient, deeper lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels, intensified self-doping effect, heightened electron mobility, and elevated conductivity, in comparison to its counterpart, 3ONIN. As a result, 3PNIN and 3ONIN-treated OSC devices yield efficiencies of 17.73% and 16.82%, respectively. This finding serves as a compelling validation of the critical role played by molecular planarity in influencing CIM performance.


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Abstract
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Electronic supplementary material
About this article

Propeller-shaped NI isomers of cathode interfacial material for efficient organic solar cells

Show Author's information Hao Liu1,§, Jilei Jiang1,§, Shuixing Dai1( ), Liangmin Yu2, Xu Zhang3, Xianbiao Hou1, Ke Gao3, Heqing Jiang4, Minghua Huang1( )
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
Open Studio for Marine Corrosion and Protection, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266100, China
Science Center for Material Creation and Energy Conversion, Institute of Frontier and Interdisciplinary Science, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
Qingdao Key Laboratory of Functional Membrane Material and Membrane Technology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China

§ Hao Liu and Jilei Jiang contributed equally to this work.

Abstract

Cathode interfacial materials (CIMs) stand as critical elemental in organic solar cells (OSCs), which can align energy levels, and foster ohmic contacts between the cathode and active layer of the OSCs. Nevertheless, the lagging advancement in CIMs has concurrently engendered the oversight of theoretical inquiries pertaining to the impact of molecular structure on their performance. Delving into this realm, we present two propeller-shaped isomers, 4,4',4''-(benzo[1,2-b:3,4-b':5,6-b'']trithiophene-2,5,8-triyl)tris(2-(3-(dimethylamino)propyl)-1H-benzo[de]isoquinoline-1,3(2H)-dione) (3ONIN) and 6,6',6''-(benzo[1,2-b:3,4-b':5,6-b'']trithiophene-2,5,8-triyl)tris(2-(3-(dimethylamino)propyl)-1H-benzo[de]isoquinoline-1,3(2H)-dione) (3PNIN), distinguished by their molecular planarity, as a promising foundation for crafting highly efficient OSCs. This study illuminates the superiority of 3PNIN with more plane structure, exemplified by its enhanced molar extinction coefficient, deeper lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels, intensified self-doping effect, heightened electron mobility, and elevated conductivity, in comparison to its counterpart, 3ONIN. As a result, 3PNIN and 3ONIN-treated OSC devices yield efficiencies of 17.73% and 16.82%, respectively. This finding serves as a compelling validation of the critical role played by molecular planarity in influencing CIM performance.

Keywords: organic solar cells, propeller-shaped molecules, cathode interfacial materials, naphthalimide (NI) isomers

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Publication history
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Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 14 October 2023
Revised: 13 December 2023
Accepted: 11 January 2024
Published: 06 February 2024
Issue date: March 2024

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press 2024

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 22105189).

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