Alkylated-C60 based soft materials

  • Derivatization of fullerene (C60) with branched aliphatic chains softens C60-based materials and enables the formation of thermotropic liquid crystals and room temperature nonvolatile liquids. This work demonstrates that by carefully tuning parameters such as type, number and substituent position of the branched chains, liquid crystalline C60 materials with mesophase temperatures suited for photovoltaic cell fabrication and room temperature nonvolatile liquid fullerenes with tunable viscosity can be obtained. In particular, compound 1, with branched chains, exhibits a smectic liquid crystalline phase extending from 84 °C to room temperature. Analysis of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells with a ca. 100 nm active layer of compound 1 and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) as an electron acceptor and an electron donor, respectively, reveals an improved performance (power conversion efficiency, PCE: 1.6 ± 0.1%) in comparison with another compound, 10 (PCE: 0.5 ± 0.1%). The latter, in contrast to 1, carries linear aliphatic chainsDerivatization of fullerene (C60) with branched aliphatic chains softens C60-based materials and enables the formation of thermotropic liquid crystals and room temperature nonvolatile liquids. This work demonstrates that by carefully tuning parameters such as type, number and substituent position of the branched chains, liquid crystalline C60 materials with mesophase temperatures suited for photovoltaic cell fabrication and room temperature nonvolatile liquid fullerenes with tunable viscosity can be obtained. In particular, compound 1, with branched chains, exhibits a smectic liquid crystalline phase extending from 84 °C to room temperature. Analysis of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells with a ca. 100 nm active layer of compound 1 and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) as an electron acceptor and an electron donor, respectively, reveals an improved performance (power conversion efficiency, PCE: 1.6 ± 0.1%) in comparison with another compound, 10 (PCE: 0.5 ± 0.1%). The latter, in contrast to 1, carries linear aliphatic chains and thus forms a highly ordered solid lamellar phase at room temperature. The solar cell performance of 1 blended with P3HT approaches that of PCBM/P3HT for the same active layer thickness. This indicates that C60 derivatives bearing branched tails are a promising class of electron acceptors in soft (flexible) photovoltaic devices.show moreshow less

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Metadaten
Author details:Hongguang Li, Sukumaran Santhosh Babu, Sarah T. Turner, Dieter NeherORCiDGND, Martin J. Hollamby, Tomohiro Seki, Shiki Yagai, Yonekazu Deguchi, Helmuth MöhwaldGND, Takashi Nakanishi
URN:urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-95358
Subtitle (English):regulation of selfassembly and optoelectronic properties by chain branching
Publication series (Volume number):Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe (250)
Publication type:Postprint
Language:English
Date of first publication:2013/01/18
Publication year:2013
Publishing institution:Universität Potsdam
Release date:2016/09/08
First page:1943
Last Page:1951
Source:J. Mater. Chem. C (2013) Nr. 1, S. 1943-1951. - DOI: 10.1039/C3TC00066D
Organizational units:Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Chemie
DDC classification:5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 53 Physik / 530 Physik
5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 54 Chemie / 540 Chemie und zugeordnete Wissenschaften
6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 62 Ingenieurwissenschaften / 620 Ingenieurwissenschaften und zugeordnete Tätigkeiten
Peer review:Referiert
Publishing method:Open Access
License (German):License LogoKeine öffentliche Lizenz: Unter Urheberrechtsschutz
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