1. |
- Zhang, Ben, et al.
(author)
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Rapid solidification for green-solvent-processed large-area organic solar modules with >16% efficiency
- 2024
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In: Energy & Environmental Science. - : ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY. - 1754-5692 .- 1754-5706.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Enabling green-solvent-processed large-area organic solar cells (OSCs) is of great significance to their industrialization. However, precisely controlling the temperature-dependent fluid mechanics and evaporation behavior of green solvents with high-boiling points is challenging. Controlling these parameters is essential to prevent the non-uniform distribution of active layer components and severe molecule aggregation, which collectively degrade the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of large-scale devices. In this study, we revealed that the temperature gradient distribution across a wet film is the root of the notorious Marangoni effect, which leads to the formation of a severely non-uniform active layer on a large scale. Thus, a rapid solidification strategy was proposed to accelerate the evaporation of toluene, a green solvent, at room temperature. This strategy simultaneously inhibits the Marangoni effect and suppresses molecular aggregation in the wet film, allowing the formation of a nano-scale phase separation active layer with uniform morphology. The resultant toluene-processed 15.64-cm2 large-area OSC module achieves an outstanding PCE of 16.03% (certified: 15.69%), which represents the highest reported PCE of green-solvent-processed OSC modules. Notably, this strategy also exhibits a weak scale dependence on the PCE, and we successfully achieved a state-of-the-art PCE of 14.45% for a 72.00-cm2 OSC module. A rapid solidification strategy was developed for simultaneously avoiding the Marangoni effect and suppressing molecular aggregation. The resultant 15.64 cm2 large-area OSC module exhibited a record power conversion efficiency of 16.03%.
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2. |
- Chen, Haiyang, et al.
(author)
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A guest-assisted molecular-organization approach for >17% efficiency organic solar cells using environmentally friendly solvents
- 2021
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In: Nature Energy. - : NATURE PORTFOLIO. - 2058-7546. ; 6:11, s. 1045-1053
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of laboratory-sized organic solar cells (OSCs), usually processed from low-boiling-point and toxic solvents, have reached high values of over 18%. However, there is usually a notable drop of the PCEs when green solvents are used, limiting practical development of OSCs. Herein, we obtain certificated PCEs over 17% in OSCs processed from a green solvent paraxylene (PX) by a guest-assisted assembly strategy, where a third component (guest) is employed to manipulate the molecular interaction of the binary blend. In addition, the high-boiling-point green solvent PX also enables us to deposit a uniform large-area module (36 cm(2)) with a high efficiency of over 14%. The strong molecular interaction between the host and guest molecules also enhances the operational stability of the devices. Our guest-assisted assembly strategy provides a unique approach to develop large-area and high-efficiency OSCs processed from green solvents, paving the way for industrial development of OSCs. Organic solar cells processed from green solvents are easier to implement in manufacturing yet their efficiency is low. Chen et al. devise a guest molecule to improve the molecular packing, enabling devices with over 17% efficiency.
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3. |
- Chen, Haiyang, et al.
(author)
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Heterogeneous Nucleating Agent for High-Boiling-Point Nonhalogenated Solvent-Processed Organic Solar Cells and Modules
- 2024
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In: Advanced Materials. - : WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH. - 0935-9648 .- 1521-4095.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- High-boiling-point nonhalogenated solvents are superior solvents to produce large-area organic solar cells (OSCs) in industry because of their wide processing window and low toxicity; while, these solvents with slow evaporation kinetics will lead excessive aggregation of state-of-the-art small molecule acceptors (e.g. L8-BO), delivering serious efficiency losses. Here, a heterogeneous nucleating agent strategy is developed by grafting oligo (ethylene glycol) side-chains on L8-BO (BTO-BO). The formation energy of the obtained BTO-BO; while, changing from liquid in a solvent to a crystalline phase, is lower than that of L8-BO irrespective of the solvent type. When BTO-BO is added as the third component into the active layer (e.g. PM6:L8-BO), it easily assembles to form numerous seed crystals, which serve as nucleation sites to trigger heterogeneous nucleation and increase nucleation density of L8-BO through strong hydrogen bonding interactions even in high-boiling-point nonhalogenated solvents. Therefore, it can effectively suppress excessive aggregation during growth, achieving ideal phase-separation active layer with small domain sizes and high crystallinity. The resultant toluene-processed OSCs exhibit a record power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.42% (certificated 19.12%) with excellent operational stability. The strategy also has superior advantages in large-scale devices, showing a 15.03-cm2 module with a record PCE of 16.35% (certificated 15.97%). The heterogeneous nucleating agent (BTO-BO) is developed to suppress the excessive aggregation of L8-BO in high-boiling-point nonhalogenated solvents processing, achieving the active layer with high crystallinity and nano-scaled phase separation morphology. The resultant OSCs achieve record power conversion efficiencies of 19.42% (0.062-cm2) and 16.35% (15. 03-cm2) with excellent operational stabilities. image
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4. |
- Fan, Qunping, 1989, et al.
(author)
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Mechanically Robust All-Polymer Solar Cells from Narrow Band Gap Acceptors with Hetero-Bridging Atoms
- 2020
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In: Joule. - : Elsevier BV. - 2542-4351. ; 4:3, s. 658-672
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We developed three narrow band-gap polymer acceptors PF2-DTC, PF2-DTSi, and PF2-DTGe with different bridging atoms (i.e., C, Si, and Ge). Studies found that such different bridging atoms significantly affect the crystallinity, extinction coefficient, electron mobility of the polymer acceptors, and the morphology and mechanical robustness of related active layers. In all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs), these polymer acceptors achieved high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) over 8.0%, while PF2-DTSi obtained the highest PCE of 10.77% due to its improved exciton dissociation, charge transport, and optimized morphology. Moreover, the PF2-DTSi-based active layer showed excellent mechanical robustness with a high toughness value of 9.3 MJ m−3 and a large elongation at a break of 8.6%, which is a great advantage for the practical applications of flexible devices. As a result, the PF2-DTSi-based flexible all-PSC retained >90% of its initial PCE (6.37%) after bending and relaxing 1,200 times at a bending radius of ∼4 mm.
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5. |
- He, Lei, et al.
(author)
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Non-symmetric responses of leaf onset date to natural warming and cooling in northern ecosystems
- 2023
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In: PNAS Nexus. - 2752-6542. ; 2:9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The northern hemisphere has experienced regional cooling, especially during the global warming hiatus (1998-2012) due to ocean energy redistribution. However, the lack of studies about the natural cooling effects hampers our understanding of vegetation responses to climate change. Using 15,125 ground phenological time series at 3,620 sites since the 1950s and 31-year satellite greenness observations (1982-2012) covering the warming hiatus period, we show a stronger response of leaf onset date (LOD) to natural cooling than to warming, i.e. the delay of LOD caused by 1°C cooling is larger than the advance of LOD with 1°C warming. This might be because cooling leads to larger chilling accumulation and heating requirements for leaf onset, but this non-symmetric LOD response is partially offset by warming-related drying. Moreover, spring greening magnitude, in terms of satellite-based greenness and productivity, is more sensitive to LOD changes in the warming area than in the cooling. These results highlight the importance of considering non-symmetric responses of spring greening to warming and cooling when predicting vegetation-climate feedbacks.
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6. |
- Yang, Heyi, et al.
(author)
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Composition-Conditioning Agent for Doped Spiro-OMeTAD to Realize Highly Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells
- 2022
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In: Advanced Energy Materials. - : WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH. - 1614-6832 .- 1614-6840. ; 12:44
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The doped Spiro-OMeTAD hole transport layer (HTL) formed using the lithium bis(trifluoromethane) sulfonimide salt and 4-tert-butylpyridine with phenethylammonium iodide surface treatment on a perovskite film has continuously dominated the record power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of perovskite solar cells (pero-SCs). However, unstable HTL compositions and iodide salts can cause severe device degradation. In this study, an HTL composition-conditioning agent (CCA), Spiro-BD-2OEG, is designed, which contains a Spiro-OMeTAD-like backbone, functional pyridine units, and oligo (ethylene glycol) chains. This finely designed CCA presents good miscibility with Spiro-OMeTAD and its dopants and acts as a conditioning agent through weak bond interactions. As a result, the CCA-regulated HTL shows a pinhole-free and smooth morphology with enhanced Spiro-OMeTAD ordering and improves dopant stability. In addition, the gradient-distributed CCA in the HTL can narrow the energy level offset with the valence band of the perovskite. The resultant pero-SCs exhibit an excellent PCE of 24.19% without any interface treatment and weak size dependence. A remarkable PCE of 22.63% is obtained even for a 1.004-cm(2) device. Importantly, the strategy shows good universality and significantly promotes the long-term stability of the pero-SCs based on the classical doped Spiro-OMeTAD.
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7. |
- Huang, Yuting, et al.
(author)
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Host-Guest Strategy Enabling Nonhalogenated Solvent Processing for High-Performance All-Polymer Hosted Solar Cells
- 2023
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In: Chinese journal of chemistry. - : WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH. - 1001-604X .- 1614-7065. ; 41:9, s. 1066-1074
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs), usually processed from low-boiling-point and toxic solvents, have reached high values of 18%. However, poor miscibility and uncontrollable crystallinity in polymer blends lead to a notable drop in the PCEs when using green solvents, limiting the practical development of all-PSCs. Herein, a third component (guest) BTO was employed to optimize the miscibility and enhance the crystallinity of PM6/PY2Se-F host film processed from green solvent toluene (TL), which can effectively suppress the excessive aggregation of PY2Se-F and facilitate a nano-scale interpenetrating network morphology for exciton dissociation and charge transport. As a result, TL-processed all-polymer hosted solar cells (all-PHSCs) exhibited an impressive PCE of 17.01%. Moreover, the strong molecular interaction between the host and guest molecules also enhances the thermal stability of the devices. Our host-guest strategy provides a unique approach to developing high-efficiency and stable all-PHSCs processed from green solvents, paving the way for the industrial development of all-PHSCs.
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