INFLUENCE OF MOLECULAR POLARIZABILITY ON THE ACTIVE LAYER OF ORGANIC PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS: A CASE STUDY OF POLY(3-HEXYLTHIOPHENE)

INFLUENCE OF MOLECULAR POLARIZABILITY ON THE ACTIVE LAYER OF ORGANIC PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS: A CASE STUDY OF POLY(3-HEXYLTHIOPHENE)

Abstract:
Organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells have emerged as a promising technology for renewable energy generation due to their potential for low-cost fabrication, lightweight design, and compatibility with flexible substrates. The performance of OPV cells depends on the properties of the active layer, which consists of a blend of electron-donor and electron-acceptor materials. In this study, we investigate the influence of molecular polarizability on the active layer of OPV cells using poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) as a model polymer.

We begin by synthesizing P3HT with varying molecular weights, resulting in different degrees of chain entanglement and molecular packing. The molecular polarizability of P3HT is systematically modified by introducing side-chain substitutions with varying electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups. The active layers are then prepared by blending P3HT with an acceptor material, such as [6,6] -phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM).

The influence of molecular polarizability on the performance of OPV cells is evaluated using various characterization techniques, including current-voltage measurements, external quantum efficiency, and impedance spectroscopy. We observe that increasing the molecular polarizability of P3HT leads to improved charge transport and reduced charge recombination within the active layer. This is attributed to enhanced intermolecular interactions and improved exciton dissociation at the polymer-acceptor interface.

Furthermore, we investigate the impact of molecular polarizability on the morphology of the active layer using techniques such as atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction. We find that increasing the polarizability of P3HT promotes the formation of a favorable morphology characterized by well-defined interpenetrating networks of polymer and acceptor materials, facilitating efficient charge separation and transport.

Overall, our findings demonstrate that molecular polarizability plays a crucial role in determining the performance of OPV cells based on P3HT as the active material. This study provides valuable insights into the design and optimization of organic photovoltaic systems by tailoring the molecular properties of the active layer, leading to enhanced device efficiency and stability.

Keywords: Organic photovoltaic cells, molecular polarizability, poly(3-hexylthiophene), active layer, charge transport, charge recombination, morphology, device performance

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