Synthesis and characterization of a novel -D-B-A-B- block copolymer system for potential light harvesting applications

Abstract

Supra-molecular and nano-structured electro-active polymers are potentially useful for developing variety inexpensive and flexible shaped opto-electronic devices. In the case of organic photovoltaic materials or devices, for instance, photo induced electrons and holes need to be separated and transported in organic acceptor (A) and donor (D) phases respectively. In this paper, preliminary results of synthesis and characterizations of a coupled block copolymers containing a conjugated donor block (RO-PPV), a conjugated acceptor block (SF-PPV), and some of their electronic/optical properties are presented. While the donor block film has a strong PL emission at around 570 nm, and acceptor block film has a strong PL emission at around 590 nm, the PL emissions of final -D-B-A-B-block copolymer films were quenched by over 99%. Experimental results demonstrated an effective photo induced electron transfer and charge separation due to the interfaces of donor and acceptor blocks. The system is very promising for variety light harvesting applications, including "plastic" photovoltaic devices.Keywords: Conjugated block copolymers, donor and acceptor blocks, organic supramolecular and nano structured materials, opto-electronic and photovoltaic devices.

Organic solar cells: An overview

“…Though this approach included pendant fullerenes in the acceptor block, other acceptor block structures based on n-type conjugated polymers were reported recently. 216 In another approach, it was recently demonstrated that nanometer-sized polymer spheres could be obtained via a miniemulsion preparation (Fig. 20).…”