Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are a promising technology for indoor low-energy-consumption portable electronic equipment. 

A linear 2D-conjugated polymer based on 4,8-bis(4-chloro-5-tripropylsilyl-thiophen-2-yl)benzo[1,2-<i>b</i>:4,5-<i>b</i>′]dithiophene (BDT-T-SiCl) for low voltage loss organic photovoltaics

A wearable piezoelectro-triboelectric sensor with nanocomposite electrodes for human physiological detection

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been regarded as an exceptional renewable energy conversion technology due to their rapidly increasing photovoltaic efficiency, while their practical application is highly retarded by their intrinsic instability and potential lead ion leakage. Here, a two-dimensional (2D) π-conjugated benzodifuran-based polymer, PBDFP-Bz, is adopted to modify the perovskite film. Note that PBDFP-Bz could neutralize surface defects, fine-tune interfacial energetics, and hamper moisture ingression into the perovskite film. Therefore, high-quality perovskite films featuring reduced trap state density and enhanced moisture tolerance could be obtained after modification via PBDFP-Bz. Consequently, PBDFP-Bz-modified devices deliver a higher efficiency of 21.73% versus 19.55% of control ones. Meanwhile, PBDFP-Bz-modified devices can preserve 82.7 and 90.8% of their initial efficiency under continuous heating at 85 °C or light soaking for 500 h. However, the corresponding retained values of control devices are only 56.4 and 70.2%, respectively. Moreover, PBDFP-Bz can effectively prevent the leakage of lead ions in modified devices relative to control ones. This work not only reveals that PBDFP-Bz features high potential for fabricating high-performance and robust PSCs but also indicates that 2D π-conjugated benzodifuran-based polymers can endow PSCs with great security for sustainable development without the concern of lead ion leakage.

Multifunctional Two-Dimensional Benzodifuran-Based Polymer for Eco-Friendly Perovskite Solar Cells Featuring High Stability.

Organic solar cells based on simple furan-based polymers are fabricated via an ethanol/water mixture in air. The as-prepared devices demonstrate impressive efficiency and miraculous self-repairing efficiency under discontinuous illumination. 

Simple furan-based polymers with the self-healing function enable efficient eco-friendly organic solar cells with high stability

Charge carrier events across organic electronics are ubiquitous, and the derived optimization plays a crucial effect on improving the performance of organic electronics. Herein, a two-dimensional material (Ti3C2Tx) is incorporated into titanium dioxide (TiO2) to impart the Ti3C2Tx/TiO2 hybrid film enriched hydroxy group distribution, defect-negligible surface, upshifted work function, and enhanced conductivity yet electron mobility versus the pristine TiO2 film. Therefore, intensified photon-harvesting ability, reduced charge carrier recombination, and efficient charge carrier collection are realized for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on the Ti3C2Tx/TiO2 hybrid photoanode relative to control ones. Consequently, the modified DSSCs based on Z907 deliver superior efficiencies of 10.39 and 29.68% under 100 mW/cm2 illumination and ∼1.9 mW/cm2 dim light, respectively, being the highest values of Z907-based DSSCs. However, control devices only obtain lower efficiencies of 8.06 and 23.91% when undergoing the abovementioned illumination. On the other hand, the self-powered homologous photodetectors with the hybrid film as an electron-transporting layer present enhanced detectivity (1.69 × 1011 Jones) and a shortened responsivity of 0.26 s versus that of control ones (1.39 × 1011 Jones and 0.35 s). Our work implies that the Ti3C2Tx/TiO2 hybrid film features high potential for improving the performance of organic electronics for its effect of holistically optimizing charge carrier dynamics.

Holistically Optimizing Charge Carrier Dynamics Enables High-Performance Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells and Photodetectors.

Organic solar cells (OSCs) simultaneously featuring good photovoltaic performance and strong humidity resistance are greatly anticipated for their practical application. Herein, we developed a simple organic trisiloxane molecule (denoted as TSi), and applied it to modify sol–gel ZnO (sg-ZnO) films. Compared to pristine sg-ZnO films, the TSi/sg-ZnO film presents fewer surface defects, shallower work function, and stronger hydrophobicity. Benefiting from those improved characteristics, when adopting a benzodifuran (BDF)-based polymer (BDFP-Bz) and Y6 as the electron donor and acceptor to fabricate OSCs, the derived devices utilizing TSi/sg-ZnO as the electron transport layer (ETL) showed suppressed charge recombination, enhanced charge extraction and increased stability to moisture versus the devices based on an sg-ZnO ETL. Meanwhile, PBDFP-Bz:Y6 OSCs based on a TSi/sg-ZnO ETL delivered a higher PCE of 14.62% than that of the control devices (12.39%). More importantly, the TSi/sg-ZnO ETL was also applicable in other different photovoltaic systems, among which PM6:Y6 OSCs based on a TSi/sg-ZnO ETL yielded a superior PCE of 16.37% along with stronger stability to moisture versus the reference ones. Our finding demonstrates the TSi/sg-ZnO bilayer ETL holds promise in the practical application of OSCs for simultaneously improving the photovoltaic performance and moisture-resistance of devices.

Wenzhi Zhang

Papers

Efficient and moisture-resistant organic solar cells via simultaneously reducing the surface defects and hydrophilicity of an electron transport layer