The effect of boron-doped carbon nanotubes blended with active layers in achieving high-efficiency polymer solar cells and X-ray detectors

Polymer solar cells (PSCs) usually offer inferior power conversion efficiency (PCE), lower open-circuit voltage (Voc), and inefficient charge extraction abilities. We studied boron-doped carbon nanotubes (B-CNTs) as the third active layer (AL) component to improve the PCE and Voc, due to their tunable work function, superior conductivity, and transport behavior. A novel arc discharge (AD) method produced B-CNTs without any residual catalysts. This work utilized PBDB-T: ITIC as the initial AL to prepare PSCs and X-ray detectors with glass/ITO/PEDOT: PSS/AL/LiF/Al structure. The excitation effects of PSC and X-ray detector devices based on ALs embedded with different amounts of B-CNTs were also studied. The derived outcomes revealed a PCE of 10.21 % for the constructed PSC with 3 wt% of B-CNTs blended AL. Furthermore, the fabricated X-ray photodetector with 3 wt% of B-CNTs obtained an excellent sensitivity of 2.49 mA/Gy·cm2. These results show that B-CNTs can act as both an exciton dissociation center and a charge transfer channel, promoting charge separation and transport in the AL. •A facile single-step mechanism for the synthesis of B-doped carbon nanotubes was proposed.•Hybrid PBDB-T: B-CNTs: ITIC was utilized as an active layer (AL) for polymer solar cells (PSCs) and X-ray detectors.•PSCs with hybrid AL exhibited higher power conversion efficiency of 10.21 %.•Improved sensitivity of 2.49 mA/Gy·cm2 was measured using a hybrid AL X-ray detector.