Review
Polymer Science
Mustafa Yasa, Levent Toppare
Summary: Donor-acceptor (D-A) conjugated polymers have gained significant attention in the field of organic electronics, with organic solar cells (OSCs) being one of the most critical applications. Traditional fullerene-based OSCs have drawbacks, leading to the exploration of nonfullerene acceptors (NFAs). Thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione (TPD), as a strong electron-withdrawing group, has been widely used in high-performance OSCs due to its ability to enhance optoelectronic properties and photovoltaic performance.
MACROMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Jiaji Zhao, Xuelong Huang, Qingduan Li, Shengjian Liu, Ziqiang Fan, Di Zhang, Shanshan Ma, Zhixiong Cao, Xuechen Jiao, Yue-Peng Cai, Fei Huang
Summary: In this study, high-performing large bandgap polymer donors were designed by tailoring the length of alkyl side chain, leading to increased crystallinity and charge mobility, and consequently improved power conversion efficiencies of BHJ solar cells. Shortening the side chain length was found to be essential for developing high-performing polymer donors and enhancing device photovoltaic performance.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Kodai Yamanaka, Masahiko Saito, Tomoyuki Koganezawa, Hayato Saito, Hyung Do Kim, Hideo Ohkita, Itaru Osaka
Summary: The crystallinity of pi-conjugated polymer donors and acceptors is crucial for improving the performance of organic photovoltaic cells. In state-of-the-art OPVs based on nonfullerene acceptors, pi-conjugated polymers with low crystallinity are typically used, yet they provide high efficiencies. This study investigates the blending of pi-conjugated polymers PTzBT and PTzBTE with different acceptor materials, revealing that the crystalline order of the blend films is closely correlated with the OPV performance.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lin-Yong Xu, Yuan Gao, Wei Wang, Yiming Shao, Mingxia Chen, Xinrong Yang, Yuang Fu, Meimei Zhang, Xinhui Lu, Rui Sun, Jie Min
Summary: To realize the application of OSCs, the material cost should be reduced, and one approach is to optimize the synthetic method of the active layer materials. In this study, a convenient synthetic route of TPD acceptor unit derivatives was developed, greatly minimizing the synthetic cost of the relevant polymer donors. Two TPD-based P(D)s, PTTB-H and PTTB-F, were synthesized, and PTTB-F exhibited superior performance with promising device performance.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Electrochemistry
Deniz Cakal, Atilla Cihaner, Ahmet M. Onal
Summary: A new series of photo responsive and electroactive trimeric monomers were successfully synthesized using the donor-acceptor-donor approach, and polymerized via electrochemical methods to produce electrochromic ambipolar conjugated polymers with narrow optical band gaps.
ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Hao-Wen Cheng, Yepin Zhao, Yang Yang
Summary: Solar energy is gaining attention as an alternative solution to global energy demands, with semitransparent organic photovoltaics (ST-OPVs) receiving focus for their transparency and power conversion efficiency. Recent developments in ST-OPVs center around narrow-bandgap donors and non-fullerene acceptors, utilizing various strategies to improve performance and providing insightful guidelines for future advancements.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ruonan Li, Chao Wang, Chengyi Xiao, Baiqiao Liu, Shijie Liang, Yuhao Li, Yaobin Lu, Yining Sun, Yunhua Xu, Weiwei Li
Summary: The innovation of polymer acceptors through the polymerized small molecular acceptors (PSMAs) strategy has led to significant developments in all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs). This study focuses on the synthesis of non-fused PSMAs that have a thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione (TPD) core, with planar configuration, simplified synthesis, and near-infrared absorption. The results show that TPD-based PSMAs have high efficiency in all-PSCs, with the regioregular polymer achieving the highest performance due to efficient exciton separation and charge transport.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zhihui Liao, Dingqin Hu, Hua Tang, Peihao Huang, Ranbir Singh, Sein Chung, Kilwon Cho, Manish Kumar, Licheng Hou, Qianqian Chen, Weiyang Yu, Haiyan Chen, Ke Yang, Zhipeng Kan, Feng Liu, Zeyun Xiao, Gang Li, Shirong Lu
Summary: Researchers synthesized a series of terpolymer donors with varying fractions of ester-substituted thiazole (E-Tz) units using random ternary copolymerization. They found that fine-tuning the E-Tz content can optimize the energy levels, electrostatic potentials, molecular aggregation, miscibility, and morphology, resulting in improved performance parameters for photovoltaic devices.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Eda A. Yilmaz, Mustafa Yasa, Ali Cirpan, Levent Toppare
Summary: In this study, a comprehensive comparison was conducted between fullerene (FA) and non-fullerene (NFA) acceptor-based organic solar cells (OSCs). Four chalcogenophene-thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione-chalcogenophene containing random conjugated polymers were used as donor materials in the active layer of OSCs. The results showed that selenophene-containing polymer P1 performed better with ITIC (NFA) and achieved a higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.94%, whereas it achieved a PCE of 7.62% when blended with PC71BM (FA). Another selenophene containing polymer P2 achieved a PCE of 1.96% with ITIC and 6.30% with PC71BM, while furan-containing polymers P3 and P4 exhibited lower PCEs of 1.40% and 1.32% with ITIC, respectively, and higher PCEs of 1.46% and 2.45% with PC71BM, respectively.
JOURNAL OF ELECTROANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Fang-Liang Dong, Yu Zhang, Huan Wei, Chang Li, Zheng Li, Jiaxing Gao, Yuanyuan Hu, Zheng Tang, Ming Wang
Summary: This study demonstrates the design and synthesis of TPyI-based narrow band gap-conjugated polymers, highlighting their potential applications in organic electronics.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Peiyu Wu, Shengxiong Zhang, Wenjun Zhang, Weijie Song
Summary: In this study, a new D-A structure polymer PPDOTTPD was synthesized by Stille coupling, and its electrochromic and electrofluorochromic properties were investigated for the first time. The results showed that PPDOTTPD exhibited outstanding electrochromic and electrofluorochromic performance. The dual-functional device based on PPDOTTPD showed high optical and fluorescence contrast. These findings provide possibilities for developing high-performance intelligent optical devices.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Analia 'Orazio-Colman, Dong Hwan Son, Rahmatia Fitri Binti Nasrun, Joo Hyun Kim
Summary: A series of polymers based on indandione derivatives were synthesized and used as donor materials for PSCs. The best power conversion efficiency was achieved using TIND-DHT-BDTF as the donor in the inverted-type PSCs.
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Melanie Cyr, Samantha Brixi, Anindya Ganguly, Benoit H. Lessard, Jaclyn L. Brusso
Summary: The synthesis of two donor-acceptor small molecules based on thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione (TPD) as the acceptor building block is reported. These materials were used as n-type organic semiconductors in OTFT devices. Comparative studies were conducted to investigate their properties and the effects of solvent and annealing conditions on device performance, revealing that a rhodanine-derived D-A material showed the highest electron field-effect mobility and a threshold voltage under vacuum.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Bin Huang, Lin Hu, Na Chen, Yujun Cheng, Xuexiang Huang, Jiyeon Oh, Changduk Yang, Shi-Yong Liu, Lie Chen
Summary: This study investigates the impact of chlorine substitution position on the device performance of polymer donors, revealing that the position of chlorine substitution can significantly affect the performance of polymer donors in nonfullerene organic solar cells.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jingjing Ji, Jiaqi Xie, Junhui Tang, Kaibo Zheng, Ziqi Liang
Summary: A series of halogen-free polymer donors linking BDT moiety with highly electron-deficient BDD and DPP units have been developed, leading to improved efficiency in organic solar cells. By carefully controlling the molar ratios of BDD and DPP units in the optimal blend system, a remarkable power conversion efficiency was achieved, which was further enhanced by adding PC71BM to generate finer phase-separated domains. The critical roles of PC71BM in enhancing the efficiency were determined through transient absorption measurements on thin-film and in situ devices.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mengmeng Li, Haijun Bin, Xuechen Jiao, Martijn M. Wienk, He Yan, Rene A. J. Janssen
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2020)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hu Chen, Maximilian Moser, Suhao Wang, Cameron Jellett, Karl Thorley, George T. Harrison, Xuechen Jiao, Mingfei Xiao, Balaji Purushothaman, Maryam Alsufyani, Helen Bristow, Stefaan De Wolf, Nicola Gasparini, Andrew Wadsworth, Christopher R. McNeill, Henning Sirringhaus, Simone Fabiano, Iain McCulloch
Summary: In this study, three n-type fused lactam semiconducting polymers were synthesized via a transition-metal free aldol polycondensation method, showing progressively larger electron affinities as the central acene core size decreases. The N-N and A-N polymers exhibited the highest charge carrier mobilities and power factors among the three polymers, representing promising candidates for high-performance n-type materials in thermoelectric applications. The results highlight the effectiveness of modulating the size of the central acene ring as a molecular design strategy to optimize the electronic and thermoelectric performance of conjugated polymers.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Guillaume Freychet, Eliot Gann, Lars Thomsen, Xuechen Jiao, Christopher R. McNeill
Summary: The performance of optoelectronic devices based on conjugated polymers depends on molecular packing, and resonant diffraction at the sulfur K-edge has been found to provide additional information about crystalline structures. This new method can discriminate between different packing structures and unlock important microstructural information about conjugated polymers.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Yue Luo, Yingtong Luo, Xuelong Huang, Shengjian Liu, Zhixiong Cao, Lingzhi Guo, Qingduan Li, Yue-Peng Cai, Yang Wang
Summary: The study designed and synthesized a novel ester-substituted Qx-based narrow bandgap polymer donor material PBDTT-EFQx, which showed the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) in organic solar cells composed of PBDTT-EFQx and PC71BM.
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zhi Cao, Lu Zhou, Zhiyong Gao, Zhaojun Huang, Xinying Jiao, Zehan Zhang, Keke Ma, Zhenhua Di, Yu Bai
Summary: This study investigates the comprehensive superiority of using recycled concrete aggregate as the substrate in constructed wetland systems. Results show that this practice can reduce environmental burden and total costs, and has better wastewater polish performance, especially in terms of phosphorus removal capacity. The grey water footprint reduction of system 2 is on average 4.5 times as large as that of system 1.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Jiaji Zhao, Xuelong Huang, Qingduan Li, Shengjian Liu, Ziqiang Fan, Di Zhang, Shanshan Ma, Zhixiong Cao, Xuechen Jiao, Yue-Peng Cai, Fei Huang
Summary: In this study, high-performing large bandgap polymer donors were designed by tailoring the length of alkyl side chain, leading to increased crystallinity and charge mobility, and consequently improved power conversion efficiencies of BHJ solar cells. Shortening the side chain length was found to be essential for developing high-performing polymer donors and enhancing device photovoltaic performance.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Lingzhi Guo, Xuelong Huang, Yingtong Luo, Shengjian Liu, Zhixiong Cao, Jiale Chen, Yue Luo, Qingduan Li, Jiaji Zhao, Yue-Peng Cai
Summary: Two narrow bandgap conjugated polymers, PTT-EFQX and PT-DFBT-T-EFQX, containing a novel EF-Qx unit, were designed and synthesized through palladium-catalyzed Stille coupling reaction. The structure-property relationship was systematically studied, indicating that PTT-EFQX-based polymer solar cells achieved better PCEs due to superior morphology. Effective design strategy for quinoxaline-based polymer donors is crucial for high-performance PSCs.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
D. Simatos, L. J. Spalek, U. Kraft, M. Nikolka, X. Jiao, C. R. McNeill, D. Venkateshvaran, H. Sirringhaus
Summary: The study examined the impact of dielectrics with different end groups on the performance of N2200 transistors, with results showing that the dielectric end groups do not influence bias stress stability, while long annealing times significantly improve stability.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Zeling Guo, Bin Fang, Xiaowei Du, Li Zhao, Xinyu Li, Zhixiong Cao, Xuelong Huang, Yaohuan Sheng, Juan Zhong, Gaowei Zhao, Xiangfu Zeng, Weidong Zhao, Haijian Zhong
Summary: Glucose sensing based on graphene conductance was studied using the probe station and COMSOL Multiphysics. The results from the probe station showed a negative linear relationship between graphene conductance and glucose concentration. By using this relationship as a standard curve, the concentration of glucose on graphene could be obtained by measuring graphene conductance. Simulation results using COMSOL Multiphysics Toolbox indicated a scattering effect of glucose molecules on current and a more rapid linear potential drop in the glucose region as calculated from the equipotential line distribution, which aligned with the experimental results. These findings provide a new research perspective and method for detecting glucose and other biological substances.
PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI A-APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Fan Jiang, Yintao Lan, Jinya Hu, Yanfeng Zhang, Yunnan Yan, Haijian Zhong, Jian Zhang, Zhixiong Cao, Xuelong Huang
Summary: Developing conjugated polymers with full spectral coverage of the NIR-II window is an effective strategy for achieving high signal-to-noise ratio and tissue penetration depth in photoacoustic imaging.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Fan Jiang, Yintao Lan, Tiantian Zhou, Jinya Hu, Yanfeng Zhang, Qian Li, Haijian Zhong, Pengfei Wei, Jian Zhang, Xuelong Huang, Zhixiong Cao
Summary: Inspired by cost-effective thiophene-based compounds, we developed a semiconducting polymer PTT-ATQ with a non-fused ether chain substituted donor unit. The polymer exhibited a strong intramolecular charge-transfer effect in the NIR-II window, resulting in high photoacoustic signals. The PTT-ATQ also demonstrated good biocompatibility and high in vivo photoacoustic imaging performance. This study demonstrates the efficient strategy of using cost-effective thiophene-based building blocks for high-performance NIR-II in vivo photoacoustic imaging contrast agents.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qingduan Li, Xiaolan Liao, Yun Sun, Yuanjie Xu, Shengjian Liu, Li-Ming Wang, Zhixiong Cao, Xiaozhi Zhan, Tao Zhu, Biao Xiao, Yue-Peng Cai, Fei Huang
Summary: This study investigates the influence of material properties on the morphology and performance of layer-by-layer (LBL) processed solar cells and demonstrates the rational design of morphology through fluorine substitution, leading to high-performance PSCs.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Qingduan Li, Tao Jia, Li-Ming Wang, Shengjian Liu, Xiaolan Liao, Zhixiong Cao, Jiabin Zhang, Xiaozhi Zhan, Tao Zhu, Yue-Peng Cai, Fei Huang
Summary: High-performing all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) with enhanced efficiency and fill factor were fabricated using layer-by-layer (LBL) deposition. The addition of the solvent additive CN facilitated the diffusion of the polymer acceptor, leading to the realization of a P-i-N heterojunction. The independent coating of the donor and acceptor in the LBL photoactive layers resulted in good crystallinity and efficient charge separation and transportation.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Qingduan Li, Li-Ming Wang, Shengjian Liu, Lingzhi Guo, Sheng Dong, Guorong Ma, Zhixiong Cao, Xiaozhi Zhan, Xiaodan Gu, Tao Zhu, Yue-Peng Cai, Fei Huang
ACS ENERGY LETTERS
(2020)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Qingduan Li, Xuelong Huang, Shengjian Liu, Jiaji Zhao, Yajing Zou, Yinying Ding, Zhixiong Cao, Xuechen Jiao, Yue-Peng Cai
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2020)