Copolymers from benzodithiophene and benzotriazole: synthesis and photovoltaic applications

Two new alternating low bandgap copolymers from benzodithiophene and benzotriazole units, namely poly{4,8-bis(2-ethylhexyloxy)benzo[1,2-b; 3,4-b]dithiophene-2,6-diyl-alt-2-octyl-4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)-2H-benzo[d][1,2,3]triazole-5',5 ''-diyl} (PBDTDTBTz) and poly{4,8-bis(2-ethylhexyloxy)benzo[1,2-b;3,4-b]dithiophene-2,6-diyl-alt-2-dodecylbenzotriazole-4,7-diyl} (PBDTBTz), were designed and synthesized by a typical Stille coupling polymerization method. The copolymers were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, UV-vis absorption and cyclic voltammetry. PBDTDTBTz and PBDTBTz possess moderate molecular weights and excellent thermal properties with a 5% weight loss temperatures (T-d) around 300 degrees C. They exhibited good optical absorption, with peaks at 527 nm and 562 nm in the film state, respectively. Photovoltaic properties of the copolymers blended with [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) or [6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) as electron acceptors, were investigated. The photovoltaic device with the PBDTDTBTz/PC71BM shows a power conversion efficiency of 1.7% with a short circuit current density of 4.5 mA cm(-2) and a good fill factor of 0.62, while PBDTBTz demonstrated a moderate power conversion efficiency of up to 1.4%, under the illumination of AM 1.5, 100 mW cm(-2) with a device structure of ITO/PEDOT: PSS/polymer: PC71BM (1 : 4)/Ca/Al. All the above information highlighted that this kind of the copolymers is promising for the application of polymer solar cells.