Design of Star-Shaped Trimer Acceptors for High-Performance (Efficiency > 19%), Photostable, and Mechanically Robust Organic Solar Cells

Abstract

High power conversion efficiency (PCE), long-term stability, and mechanical robustness are prerequisites for the commercial applications of organic solar cells (OSCs). In this study, a new star-shaped trimer acceptor (TYT-S) is developed and high-performance OSCs with a PCE of 19.0%, high photo-stability (t80% lifetime = 2600 h under 1-sun illumination), and mechanical robustness with a crack-onset strain (COS) of 21.6% are achieved. The isotropic molecular structure of TYT-S affords efficient multi-directional charge transport and high electron mobility. Furthermore, its amorphous structure prevents the formation of brittle crystal-to-crystal interfaces, significantly enhancing the mechanical properties of the OSC. As a result, the TYT-S-based OSCs demonstrate a significantly higher PCE (19.0%) and stretchability (COS = 21.6%) than the linear-shaped trimer acceptor (TYT-L)-based OSCs (PCE = 17.5% and COS = 6.4%) and the small-molecule acceptor (MYT)-based OSCs (PCE = 16.5% and COS = 1.3%). In addition, the increased molecular size of TYT-S, relative to that of MYT and dimer (DYT), suppresses the diffusion kinetics of the acceptor molecules, substantially improving the photostability of the OSCs. Finally, to effectively demonstrate the potential of TYT-S, intrinsically stretchable (IS)-OSCs are constructed. The TYT-S-based IS-OSCs exhibit high device stretchability (strain at PCE80% = 31%) and PCE of 14.4%. A new star-shaped trimer acceptor (TYT-S) is developed. The organic solar cells (OSCs) using TYT-S exhibit a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.0% and long-term stability, as well as excellent mechanical robustness (crack-onset strain = 21.6%). Consequently, intrinsically stretchable OSCs using TYT-S achieve high PCE and device stretchability at the same time, highlighting great potential for wearable applications.image