Rhodanine side-chained thiophene and indacenodithiophene copolymer for solar cell applications

In this work, 2-(3-ethyl-4-oxothiazolidin-2-ylidene) malononitrile is connected on the beta position of thiophene, and this monomer is copolymerized with indacenodithiophene (IDT) to build one novel photovoltaic polymer (PIDTPCR). The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) level of the polymer is -5.26 eV and -3.45 eV, respectively. Compared with reference polymer without rhodanine side chain, PIDTPCR polymer shows low band gap and low energy level which contribute to the J(sc) and V-oc of the PSCs devices. The best performance parameters of the solar cells devices are V-oc (0.91 V), J(sc) (10.1 mA/cm(2)), FF (52.4%) and PCE (5.18%). (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.