Efficient solar cells via sulfur-fused helical perylene diimides design concept

US11245077B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• The Regents of the University of California · US
• THE MITSUBISHI CHEMICAL CORPORATION, A JAPANESE CORPORATION · JP

Inventors

• Fred Wudl · Lompoc, US
• Yonghao Zheng · Houston, US
• Hengbin Wang · Midland School, US
• Hidenori Nakayama · Goleta, US
• Michael L. Chabinyc · Mountain View, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 17, 2019
• Grant date: Feb 8, 2022
• Expiry date: Sep 3, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/549

Abstract

Sulfur-fused perylene diimides (PDIs) having the formula 2PDI-nS, wherein n is an integer. Such sulfur-fused PDIs (e.g., 2PDI-2S, 2PDI-3S, and 2PDI-4S) are incorporated as electron acceptors in an active region of a bulk heterojunction solar cell and/or as an electron transport layer. Example solar cells exhibit a power conversion efficiency above 5% and a fill factor above 70% (a record high for non-fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cell devices) when 2PDI-nS is used as the electron acceptor. In addition, the solar cells exhibit low open circuit voltage (Voc) loss.