Structure property relationship and thermal stability of organic photovoltaic cells

• Main Author: Motaung, David Edmond
• Other Authors: Malgas, Gerald F.
• Language: en
• Published: University of the Western Cape 2013
• Subjects: Poly(3-hexylthiophene); Fullerene; Polymer solar cells; Morphology; Quenching; Crystallinity; Annealing; Thermal transition; Phase separation; Stability; Thermal degradation
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11394/1939

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD === In this thesis, regioregularpoly( 3-hexylthiophene) (rr-P3HT) polymer was used as a light absorption and electron donating material, while the C60 fullerene and its derivative [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) were used as electron acceptor materials. The effect of solvent to control the degree of mixing of the polymer and fullerene components, as well as the domain size and charge transport properties of the blends were investigated in detail using P3HT:C60 films. The photo-physical, structural and electrical transport properties of the polymer blends were carried out according to their ratios. A distinctive photoluminescence (PL) quenching effect was observed indicating a photo-induced electron transfer. In this thesis, the effect of solvents on the crystallization and interchain interaction of P3HT and C60 fullerene films were studied using XRD, UV-vis, PL, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. The polymer blends formed with non-aromatic solvents exhibited an improved crystallinity and polymer morphology than that formed with aromatic solvents. An improved ordering was demonstrated in the polymer films spin coated from non-aromatic solvents. This indicates that the limited solubility of rr P3HT in a marginal solvent such as non-aromatic solvents can offer a strategy to obtain highly ordered crystal structures and lead directly to optimal morphologies on the films. === South Africa