To increase efficiency of bulk heterojunctions for photovoltaic devices, the functional morphology of active layers has to be understood, requiring visualization and discrimination of materials with very similar characteristics. Here we combine high-resolution spectroscopic imaging using an analytical transmission electron microscope with nonlinear multivariate statistical analysis for classification of multispectral image data. We obtain a visual representation showing homogeneous phases of donor and acceptor, connected by a third composite phase, depending in its extent on the way the heterojunction is fabricated. For the first time we can correlate variations in nanoscale morphology determined by material contrast with measured solar cell efficiency. In particular we visualize a homogeneously blended phase, previously discussed to diminish charge separation in solar cell devices.

Future lightweight, flexible, and wearable electronics will employ visible‐light‐communication schemes to interact within indoor environments. Organic photodiodes are particularly well suited for such technologies as they enable chemically tailored optoelectronic performance and fabrication by printing techniques on thin and flexible substrates. However, previous methods have failed to address versatile functionality regarding wavelength selectivity without increasing fabrication complexity. This work introduces a general solution for printing wavelength‐selective bulk‐heterojunction photodetectors through engineering of the ink formulation. Nonfullerene acceptors are incorporated in a transparent polymer donor matrix to narrow and tune the response in the visible range without optical filters or light‐management techniques. This approach effectively decouples the optical response from the viscoelastic ink properties, simplifying process development. A thorough morphological and spectroscopic investigation finds excellent charge‐carrier dynamics enabling state‐of‐the‐art responsivities >102 mA W−1 and cutoff frequencies >1.5 MHz. Finally, the color selectivity and high performance are demonstrated in a filterless visible‐light‐communication system capable of demultiplexing intermixed optical signals.

The use of fullerene as acceptor limits the thermal stability of organic solar cells at high temperatures as their diffusion inside the donor leads to phase separation via Ostwald ripening. Here it is reported that fullerene diffusion is fully suppressed at temperatures up to 140 °C in bulk heterojunctions based on the benzodithiophene‐based polymer (the poly[[4,8‐bis[(2‐ethylhexyl)oxy]‐benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene‐2,6‐diyl][3‐fluoro‐2‐[(2‐ethylhexyl)carbonyl]‐thieno[3,4‐b]thiophenediyl]], (PTB7) in combination with the fullerene derivative [6,6]‐phenyl‐C71‐butyric acid methyl ester (PC70BM). The blend stability is found independently of the presence of diiodooctane (DIO) used to optimize nanostructuration and in contrast to PTB7 blends using the smaller fullerene derivative PC70BM. The unprecedented thermal stability of PTB7:PC70BM layers is addressed to local minima in the mixing enthalpy of the blend forming stable phases that inhibit fullerene diffusion. Importantly, although the nanoscale morphology of DIO processed blends is thermally stable, corresponding devices show strong performance losses under thermal stress. Only by the use of a high temperature annealing step removing residual DIO from the device, remarkably stable high efficiency solar cells with performance losses less than 10% after a continuous annealing at 140 °C over 3 days are obtained. These results pave the way toward high temperature stable polymer solar cells using fullerene acceptors.

The role of intermixed phases in organic solar cell blends is evaluated through manipulation of their number of phases.

Cross-linked amorphous mixed matrix membranes for selective separations of CO2/CH4 mixed-gas feeds.

No abstract

Dedicated to Professor Franz Effenberger on the occasion of his 90th birthday 1. Introduction Covalently linked donor-acceptor (D-A) dyads, triads, and multiads have been extensively investigated in the context of photoinduced energy and charge transfer (CT) processes, which are fundamental for natural photosynthesis, but as well important for the function of organic solar cells. [1,2] The nature and length of the molecular spacer bridging D and A, flexible nonconjugated or rod-like conjugated, polar or nonpolar, play an important role for the various fundamental processes such as excitation and energy transfer, CT, charge separation, and recombination. [3] CT is also dependent on the environment, [4] which severely comes into play for the photoinduced elementary processes of molecular D-A systems in the solid state, a scenario, encountered in organic electronic devices. In this respect, in thin films, aggregation of the molecules into supramolecular assemblies to form photoactive nanostructures with well-segregated A and D domains and their orientation relative to the substrate play a major role for efficient organic solar cells. [5] As a consequence, the tailoring of molecular properties in D-A systems is an important aspect in the overall structural design for tuning and controlling distance-dependent CT, whereby intermolecular interactions and self-assembly determine charge separation in thin films. The understanding and Single-material organic solar cells (SMOSCs) promise several advantages with respect to prospective applications in printed large-area solar foils. Only one photoactive material has to be processed and the impressive thermal and photochemical long-term stability of the devices is achieved. Herein, a novel structural design of oligomeric donor-acceptor (D-A) dyads 1-3 is established, in which an oligothiophene donor and fullerene acceptor are covalently linked by a flexible spacer of variable length. Favorable optoelectronic, charge transport, and self-organization properties of the D-A dyads are the basis for reaching power conversion efficiencies up to 4.26% in SMOSCs. The dependence of photovoltaic and charge transport parameters in these ambipolar semiconductors on the specific molecular structure is investigated before and after post-treatment by solvent vapor annealing. The inner nanomorphology of the photoactive films of the dyads is analyzed with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and grazingincidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS). Combined theoretical calculations result in a lamellar supramolecular order of the dyads with a D-A phase separation smaller than 2 nm. The molecular design and the precise distance between donor and acceptor moieties ensure the fundamental physical processes operative in organic solar cells and provide stabilization of D-A interfaces.

Analytical electron microscopy reveals local molecular arrangements of PBDB-T:ITIC determining performance of current organic solar cells.