Effect of Additives and Annealing on the Performance of Nonfullerene-Based Binary and Ternary Organic Photovoltaics

Fine tuning of blend morphology is a key factor that limits the performance of the bulk-heterojunction organic photovoltaics (BHJ-OPVs). Herein, the morphological control of the binary (PM6:Y7) and ternary (PM6:Y7:PC70BM) blends is conducted through 1-chloronaphthalene (CN) solvent additive and thermal annealing (TA) treatment with respect to their influence on the photovoltaic performance. Moreover, a distinct study is accomplished on the optical and electronic properties of the treated and nontreated binary and ternary devices by external quantum efficiency measurements and impedance spectroscopy. The results indicate that these treatments affect the performance of the binary and ternary OPVs differently. Regarding the 2% CN addition, the current density of the binary devices is improved by approximate to 27%, whereas the fill factor of the ternary devices shows a pronounced increment of approximate to 22%. A contradictory behavior is exhibited by TA for the binary and ternary OPVs. The PCEs for binary devices (with/without CN) and 2% CN-treated ternary ones are improved, while diminishing the PCEs of the ternary ones with 0% CN. Accordingly, the highest efficiencies of the binary and ternary OPVs are obtained due to the dual effect of 2% CN solvent additive along with the TA treatments.

Automated summary

This study investigates the morphological control of binary and ternary blends in organic photovoltaics through the addition of 1-chloronaphthalene and thermal annealing treatments. The results show that the performance of binary and ternary OPVs is affected differently by these treatments. The highest efficiencies are achieved in both binary and ternary OPVs due to the dual effect of 2% CN solvent additive and TA treatments.