Synthesis, Electrochemical and Photovoltaic Properties of Multi-Armed Polythiophenes with Triphenylamine Trivinylene as Conjugated Linker

Three polythiophenes with 5%, 10% and 15% triphenylamine trivinylene (TPAV) as bridge linker, PT‐TPAV5, PT‐TPAV10 and PT‐TPAV15, were synthesized. The Wittig‐Horner‐Emmons reaction and the Stille method were employed to synthesize these polymers. The polythiophenes were subsequently used in bulk‐heterojunction polymer solar cells (PSCs) as donor materials. The polymers exhibited a striking and reversible color change after the oxidation of the polymer films. The power conversion efficiencies of the PSCs based on PT‐TPAV5, PT‐TPAV10 and PT‐TPAV15 as donors and PCBM as acceptor were 0.17%, 0.50%, and 0.35%, respectively, under the illumination of AM 1.5, 100 mW · cm−2.