Rapid precipitation: An alternative to solvent casting for organic solar cells
File(s)Dattani_Nedoma_RapidPrecip_2015.pdf (3.7 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Rapid precipitation, immersion of a liquid formulation into a nonsolvent, is compared with drop casting for fabricating organic solar cells. Blends comprising poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT), phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), and chlorobenzene were processed into bulk samples by using two distinct routes: rapid precipitation and drop casting. The resulting structure, phases, and crystallinity were analyzed by using small-angle neutron scattering, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and muon spin resonance. Rapid precipitation was found to induce a finely structured phase separation between PCBM and P3HT, with 65 wt % crystallinity in the P3HT phase. In contrast, solvent casting resulted in a mixed PCBM/P3HT phase with only 43 wt % P3HT crystallinity. The structural advantages conferred by rapid precipitation were shown to persist following intense thermal treatments.
Date Issued
2015-01-29
Date Acceptance
2015-01-29
Citation
Chemphyschem, 2015, 16 (6), pp.1231-1238
ISSN
1439-7641
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
1231
End Page
1238
Journal / Book Title
Chemphyschem
Volume
16
Issue
6
Copyright Statement
© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Dattani, R., Telling, M. T. F., Lopez, C. G., Krishnadasan, S. H., Bannock, J. H., Terry, A. E., de Mello, J. C., Cabral, J. T. and Nedoma, A. J. (2015), Rapid Precipitation: An Alternative to Solvent Casting for Organic Solar Cells. ChemPhysChem, 16: 1231–1238, which has been published in final form at https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cphc.201402758. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving (http://olabout.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-820227.html#terms).
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Chemistry, Physical
Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical
Chemistry
Physics
crystal growth
organic solar cells
phase transitions
rapid precipitation
small-angle neutron scattering
Publication Status
Published