Donor-acceptor polymers containing thiazole-fused benzothiadiazole acceptor units for organic solar cells

Two p-type semiconducting donor-acceptor polymers were designed and synthesized for use in organic solar cells. The polymers combine a benzodithiophene (BDT) donor and a thiazole-fused benzothiadiazole (TzBT) acceptor. Two TzBT acceptor units are compared, one with an alkylthio group ( P1 ) and the other with a more strongly electron-withdrawing alkylsulfonyl group ( P2 ) at the fused thiazole ring. The strongly electron-accepting nature of the TzBT unit lowers the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy of P1 and P2 relative to that of the BT analog ( PBDT-BT ), without altering the energy of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO). Despite the smaller optical band gaps, bulk heterojunction organic solar cells fabricated using these polymers in a PC 71 BM blend showed high open-circuit voltages. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the P1 -based device reached 6.13%. Though efficiency of the P2 -based device was lower, photoelectric conversion extended into the near-IR region up to 950 nm. Two p-type semiconducting donor-acceptor polymers were designed and synthesized for use in organic solar cells.