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Solution Processed Inverted Organic Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells Under Ambient Air-Atmosphere

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Abstract

The effect of air processed polymer solar cells fabricated from conjugated polymers and fullerene derivatives poly (3-hexylthiophene) and [6, 6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester functioning as donor and acceptor materials. The device architecture was (Cs2CO3/P3HT: PCBM/V2O5/Al). The spin rate of the Cs2CO3 and P3HT: PCBM layer was subjected to be varied and its device performance were evaluated. The basic characterizations such as UV–Vis spectrum, PL spectra, FTIR, XRD, FESEM, EDAX, AFM and I–V studies were performed for all the materials used for fabricating the devices. The performance of the device demonstrated under air-processed conditions delivers a photo-conversion efficiency of 0.1% initially. The scaling up of the self-organized active layer can be achieved by varying and controlling the spin casting and the evaporation rate at room temperature. After varying the spin conditions the fabricated devices were tested under the same conditions and photo-conversion efficiency enhances from 0.1 to 1.43% with the Jsc of 5.6 mA cm−2; Voc of 0.55 V and FF of 0.454. The device performance can be further enhanced by controlling the exposure of the electrode materials by masking.

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Acknowledgements

Dr. M. Ramesh gratefully acknowledges Department of Science and Technology (DST) for awarding INSPIRE Faculty [DST/INSPIRE/04/2015/002860] and Director, CSIR-CECRI for implementation of award. A. Arulraj extends his sincere thanks to the Director, CSIR-CECRI, Karaikudi for permitting to carry out the research work. The authors acknowledge Central Instrumentation Facility (CIF), CSIR-CECRI, Karaikudi for their support in characterizing the sample.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University College of Engineering – BIT Campus, Anna University, Tiruchirappalli, India

    A. Arulraj & G. Senguttuvan

  2. Department of Physics, Alagappa Government Arts College, Karaikudi, India

    S. Bhuvaneshwari

  3. Functional Materials Division, CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi, India

    A. Arulraj, S. Bhuvaneshwari & M. Ramesh

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Arulraj, A., Bhuvaneshwari, S., Senguttuvan, G. et al. Solution Processed Inverted Organic Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells Under Ambient Air-Atmosphere. J Inorg Organomet Polym 28, 1029–1036 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10904-017-0762-y

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