The Role of the Axial Substituent in Subphthalocyanine Acceptors for Bulk‐Heterojunction Solar Cells

Four hexachlorosubphthalocyanines SubPcCl6‐X bearing different axial substituents (X) have been synthesized for use as novel electron acceptors in solution‐processed bulk‐heterojunction organic solar cells. Subphthalocyanines are aromatic chromophoric molecules with cone‐shaped structure, good solution processability, intense optical absorption in the visible spectral region, appropriate electron mobilities, and tunable energy levels. Solar cells with subphthalocyanines as the electron acceptor and PTB7‐Th as the electron donor exhibit a power conversion efficiency up to 4 % and an external quantum efficiency approaching 60 % due to significant contributions from both the electron donor and the electron acceptor to the photocurrent, indicating a promising prospect of non‐fullerene acceptors based on subphthalocyanines and structurally related systems. A promising prospect: Subphthalocyanines SubPcCl6‐X bearing different axial substituents (X) are presented as novel electron acceptors in bulk‐heterojunction organic solar cells. Power conversion efficiencies up to 4 % were achieved due to photocurrent contribution from both electron donor and electron acceptor, which makes non‐fullerene acceptors based on SubPcs and structurally related systems a promising synthesis goal.