Effect of Low Boiling Point Solvent Additives on the Photovoltaic Performance of Tq1:Pc61bm Based Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells
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Date
2014-06-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The need for clean, inexpensive and renewable energy has increasingly turned research
attention towards polymer photovoltaic cells. However, the performance efficiency of
these devices is still low in comparison with silicon-based devics. The recent introduction
of solvent additives has resulted in a remarkable increase in power-conversion efficiency
by controlling the interpenetrating network morphology of the organic bulk
heterojunction solar cells. In this study the effect of low boiling point solvent additives
such as iodomethane, iodoethane and di-iodomethane on the photovoltaic porformance
of TQ1:PC61BM (1:2) based organic BHJ solar cells with the device architecture
glass/ITO/PEDOT-PSS/TQ1:PC61BM/Al were studied. It was shown that the highest PCE
of 4.53% was obtained by solar cell made from a blend solution containing 3% (v/v) diiodomethane.
Similarlly, devices made from blend solutions containing 3% (v/v) of
iodomethane and iodoethane exhibited PCE of 3.28 and 3.76%, respectively. The
addition of these solvent additives has mainly increased the short-circuit current density
(Jsc) of the solar cells compared to pristine TQ1:PC61BM based solar cell. As confirmed
from UV-Vis absorption and photoluminescence spectra, addition of these solvent
additives has enhanced photon absorption and photoluminescence quenching efficiency,
respectively. Hence, this study have shown that despite the high boiling point solvent
additives, low boiling point solvent additives can improve the phase separation of the
active layer that in turn enhances charge dissociation and PCE.
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Keywords
Energy Conversion, Organic Solar Cells, Bulk Heterojunction, TQ1, Solvent Additives