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Letter

http://pubs.acs.org/journal/aelccp

Tailoring Regioisomeric Structures of


π‑Conjugated Polymers Containing
Monofluorinated π‑Bridges for Highly Efficient
Polymer Solar Cells
Baobing Fan,# Meijing Li,# Difei Zhang,# Wenkai Zhong, Lei Ying,* Zhaomiyi Zeng, Kang An,
Zhenqiang Huang, Linrui Shi, Guillermo C. Bazan, Fei Huang,* and Yong Cao
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sı Supporting Information

ABSTRACT: Fluorine substitution has been vital to the molecular design


of π-conjugated polymers toward highly efficient polymer solar cells
because it results in improved intermolecular contacts. However, the
understanding of how regioselectivity impacts relevant optoelectronic
properties in nonsymmetric fluorinated systems remains poorly developed.
In response, we herein incorporated a single fluorine atom onto the π-
bridge of [1,2,3]triazolo[4,5-f ]isoindole-5,7(2H,6H)-dione (TzBI)-poly-
mers to construct two regioisomeric donors, denoted as PTzBI-dF and
PTzBI-pF, and investigated how these subtle structural details impact the
bulk properties of solar cells. We found that the fluorine substituent
position has a profound effect on molecular conformations and thus the
aggregated morphology, leading to notably different optical absorption and
charge transport. The resulting polymer PTzBI-dF, with fluorine atom
distal to the TzBI core, exhibited a power conversion efficiency of up to
17.3% that obviously outperforms the regioisomeric counterpart. These findings highlighted the strategic superiority of
materials design toward high-performance solar cells.

P olymer solar cells (PSCs) have achieved great progress


by combining the development of new materials,
rational device engineering, and delicate control of
film morphology.1−7 However, most high-performance PSCs
reported to date are based on a limited category of π-
strategy is synthetically challenging for certain fragments, such
as the benzo[1,2-c:4,5-c′]dithiophene-4,8-dione and [1,2,3]-
triazolo[4,5-f ]isoindole-5,7(2H,6H)-dione (TzBI) systems.23
Fluorination on π-bridges, however, offers strategic oppor-
tunities to explore conjugated polymer derived therefrom.24,25
conjugated electron-donating polymers, whereas much effort Judicious modification of the π-bridge can also be expected to
has been devoted to designing electron-acceptors, such as serve as a relevant design handle to tailor the optoelectronic
nonfullerene molecules with relatively low bandgap that can properties of the materials26,27 and to simplify achieving
utilize near-infrared light.8−13 The incorporation of fluorine regiochemically precise targets.28,29 Novel synthetic entries
atoms onto π-conjugated polymers would be a technological into regiochemically precise fluorinated polymer donors should
success to expand the family of high-performance polymer be a focus for enabling the design of organic semiconductors
donors, because it can enhance the intermolecular contacts, given that nonrandom structures favor aggregation30 and
and ultimately improve light absorption and increase charge because the photovoltaic performance of bulk-heterojunction
transport ability.14−18 Moreover, the fluorine substituents in
the electron-rich moieties of donor materials usually decrease
the energy levels of frontier molecular orbitals, thereby Received: April 29, 2020
affording larger open-circuit voltages (VOC) in solar cell Accepted: May 26, 2020
devices.19,20 Published: May 26, 2020
The majority of fluorine substitution precedents focus on
placements on the aromatic core units that make up the
backbone of polymeric donors.21,22 This local modification

© 2020 American Chemical Society https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.0c00939


2087 ACS Energy Lett. 2020, 5, 2087−2094
ACS Energy Letters http://pubs.acs.org/journal/aelccp Letter

Scheme 1. Synthesis of PTzBI-pF (a) and PTzBI-dF (b)

Figure 1. 1H NMR spectra in CDCl3 for M1 (a) and M2 (b). The blue stars indicate the aromatic proton peaks.

PSCs is largely determined by the morphologies of their were accessed by modifying the connection positions on 3-
constituent polymers.31−33 fluorothiophene.
In view of comments in the preceding paragraphs, we Direct coupling of the (3-fluorothiophen-2-yl)-
investigated how the chemical environment of a monofluori- trimethylstannane (1) with 4,8-bibromo-6-octyl-5H-[1,2,5]-
nated π-bridge in donor−acceptor (D-A) type conjugated thiadiazolo[3,4-f ]isoindole-5,7(6H)-dione (2) resulted in the
polymers affects the photovoltaic performance of correspond- fluorine atom of the product 4,8-bis(3-fluorothiophen-2-yl)-6-
octyl-5H-[1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4-f ]isoindole-5,7(6H)-dione (3)
ing PSCs. This objective was performed by designing two
being proximal to the electron-withdrawing core unit (Scheme
TzBI-based polymeric donors containing the regioisomeric 1a). Subsequent conversion from thiadiazole to triazole,
monofluorothiophene π-bridge, namely, PTzBI-pF and PTzBI- alkylation on the triazole core, and bromination on the π-
dF (Scheme 1), where “p” and “d” refer to the fluorine atom in bridge yielded the monomer 4,8-bis(5-bromo-3-fluorothio-
the thiophene π-bridge being “proximal” and “distal” relative to phen-2-yl)-2-(3-ethylheptyl)-6-octyl-[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5-f ]-
the central TzBI unit, respectively. These two polymer donors isoindole-5,7(2H,6H)-dione (M1). Further Stille copolymer-
2088 https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.0c00939
ACS Energy Lett. 2020, 5, 2087−2094
ACS Energy Letters http://pubs.acs.org/journal/aelccp Letter

Figure 2. Dihedral angle (deg) and side view for the model compound of the dimer (TzBI-pF)2 (a) and (TzBI-dF)2 (b) obtained from DFT
calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory. (c) Normalized UV−visible absorption for polymers in solution and as films. (d)
Absorption coefficient for blends of PTzBI-pF:Y6 and PTzBI-dF:Y6. Insets are the corresponding photographs of these blend films. (e)
Energy level alignments for all components of solar cells.

ization of M1 with (4,8-bis(5-(2-ethylhexyl)-4-fluorothiophen- (NMR) spectroscopy are summarized in the Supporting


2-yl)benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-2,6-diyl)bis- Information.
(trimethylstannane) (M3) produced the target copolymer The 1H NMR spectra of M1 and M2 show that the site of
PTzBI-pF. fluorination exerts a strong influence on the magnetic shielding
To attain the target regioisomeric monomer 4,8-bis(5- ability in these compounds (Figure 1). Note that the chemical
bromo-4-fluorothiophen-2-yl)-2-(3-ethylheptyl)-6-octyl- shift of the thiophene proton in M1 (δ = 7.03 ppm, Figure S1)
[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5-f ]isoindole-5,7(2H,6H)-dione (M2), which was substantially upfield of that in M2 (δ = 8.03 ppm, Figure
has the fluorine atoms in the π-bridge distal to the TzBI core S2). These observations agree with the trend observed in
unit, we used triisopropylsilyl to protect the 2-position of 3- simulated 1H NMR spectra obtained from Gaussian calcu-
fluorothiophene (Scheme 1b). By treating the product 6 with lations (Figure S3 and S4). The 13C NMR spectra also confirm
trimethyltin chloride, we obtained the intermediate (3-fluoro- the structural difference of these two monomers (Figures S5
5-(trimethylstannyl)thiophen-2-yl)triisopropylsilane (7), and S6). To further confirm the fluorination position, we used
1
which was then coupled with the dibromo compound 2 to H−1H correlated spectroscopy (COSY) to examine com-
give compound 4,8-bis(4-fluoro-5-(triisopropylsilyl)thiophen- pounds 5 and 9 with F atoms proximal or distal to the central
2-yl)-6-octyl-5H-[1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4-f ]isoindole-5,7(6H)- electron-withdrawing unit, respectively (Figures S7 and S8).
dione (8). The subsequent multistep reactions, similar to those COSY correlations for the chemical shifts of 7.02 and 7.52
for the synthesis of M1, provided the regioisomeric compound ppm in compound 5 demonstrate strong correlation between
M2 in a reasonable yield. The target PTzBI-dF is obtained by the two aromatic protons, and as these correlations were
Stille copolymerization of M2 with the bis-stannylated absent in the spectrum of compound 9, we surmised that these
compound M3. Specific synthetic details and the correspond- two protons are on isolated positions in 9, consistent with the
ing structure confirmation by nuclear magnetic resonance structures depicted in Scheme 1.
2089 https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.0c00939
ACS Energy Lett. 2020, 5, 2087−2094
ACS Energy Letters http://pubs.acs.org/journal/aelccp Letter

Table 1. Optoelectronic Properties of PTzBI-pF and PTzBI-dF


polymer λmax,sol (nm) λmax,film (nm) Eg,opt (eV) EOX (V) HOMOa (eV) LUMOb (eV) HOMOc (eV) LUMOc (eV) μh (cm2 V−1 s−1)
PTzBI-pF 485 505 2.09 1.26 −5.67 −3.58 −5.30 −2.83 2.14 × 10−7
PTzBI-dF 602, 636 600, 642 1.72 1.14 −5.55 −3.83 −5.18 −3.18 1.06 × 10−2
a
Determined by cyclic voltammetry. bDerived from HOMO energy level and Eg,opt. cObtained from density functional theory calculations.

Figure 3. (a) J−V characteristics for optimized PSCs based on PTzBI-pF:Y6 and PTzBI-dF:Y6. (b) EQE spectra and relevant calculated JSC.
(c) PL responses for PTzBI-pF, PTzBI-dF, and corresponding blends excited at 500 and 600 nm. (d) EQEEL for solar cells based on PTzBI-
pF:Y6 and PTzBI-dF:Y6, with the injected current density representing the JSC of each device. (e) J−V characteristics and (f) histogram of
efficiency of PSCs based on PTzBI-dF:PC71BM:Y6 (1:0.2:1, wt:wt:wt).

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/ PTzBI-dF displays a narrower optical band gap (Eg,opt) (1.72
6-31G(d) level were used to understand molecular structure eV) relative to PTzBI-pF (2.09 eV), as estimated from the
conformations for model dimers of the repeating units of absorption edge (Figure S9b, Table 1). Such a large difference
PTzBI-pF and PTzBI-dF. The dimer of (TzBI-pF)2 presents a in Eg,opt is attributed to the different geometries and
twisted skeleton with dihedral angles between the π-bridge and aggregation tendencies (Figure 2a,b). When combined with a
electron-withdrawing core as large as ∼42° (Figure 2a), while non-fullerene acceptor (named Y6, molecular structure shown
those for (TzBI-dF)2 are <3.5° (Figure 2b). This difference is in Figure S10), the PTzBI-dF-based blend film exhibits more
consistent with the 1H NMR spectra of M1 and M2 (Figure pronounced complementary absorption in the long-wavelength
1), where the aromatic proton signal for the former is more region beyond 550 nm, presenting a deep blue film that is very
upfield chemical shift than that for the latter, as the deshielding different from the brown-yellow of the PTzBI-pF:Y6 blend
effect of the electron-withdrawing core in the former would be (Figure 2d).
weakened by such large dihedral angles. PTzBI-pF has a To examine the photovoltaic response of PTzBI-pF and
slightly lower highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) PTzBI-dF, we fabricated PSCs based on a conventional
energy level (−5.67 eV) than that of PTzBI-dF (−5.55 eV), as configuration comprising ITO/PEDOT:PSS/active layer/
evaluated from the oxidation potential measured by cyclic PFNDI-Br/Ag, where ITO, PEDOT:PSS, and PFNDI-Br
voltammetry (Figures 2e and S9a), which is consistent with represent indium tin oxide, poly(3,4-
that obtained from DFT calculations (Table 1). These deep ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate), and poly-
HOMO energy levels are favorable for obtaining high VOC in [(9,9-bis(3′-((N,N-dimethyl)-N-ethylammonium)propyl)-2,7-
PSC devices.34 fluorene)-alt-5,5′-bis(2,2′-thiophene)-2,6-naphthalene-1,4,5,8-
The absorption spectra of the two copolymers are tetracaboxylic-N,N′-di(2-ethylhexyl)imide]dibromide, respec-
remarkably different (Figure 2c). PTzBI-pF shows a single tively. According to the optimization results of PTzBI-dF:Y6-
absorption peak at 485 nm in chloroform solution, which is devices (Figures S11−S13 and Tables S1−S3), we used the
red-shifted to 505 nm in the thin films. This is different from optimized conditions of incorporating 0.3 vol % chloronaph-
the profile of PTzBI-dF, which exhibits dual peaks in thalene (CN) and then thermally annealing at 110 °C for 10
chloroform (Figure 2c) with a shoulder at the peak at ∼640 min for all the devices discussed below. From the J−V plots in
nm and for which one notes little change when transitioning to Figure 3a, we observe PCEs of 1.4 ± 0.1% for the PSCs based
the solid state. These results are consistent with PTzBI-dF on PTzBI-pF:Y6 blend, with VOC of 0.79 ± 0.01 V, short-
being preaggregated in chloroform (CF) solution. Overall, circuit current density (JSC) of 4.90 ± 0.18 mA cm−2, and fill
2090 https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.0c00939
ACS Energy Lett. 2020, 5, 2087−2094
ACS Energy Letters http://pubs.acs.org/journal/aelccp Letter

Table 2. Photovoltaic Parameters for Optimized PSCs Based on Donor:Y6


JSC,EQE μh μe ΔVoc,nr
donor VOC (V) JSC (mA cm−2) (mA cm−2) FF (%) PCEa (%) (cm2 V−1 s−1) (cm2 V−1 s−1) (V)
PTzBI-pF 0.80 (0.79 ± 0.01) 4.88 (4.90 ± 0.18) 4.40 36.5 (35.3 ± 0.7) 1.4 (1.4 ± 0.1) 1.90 × 10−7 5.86 × 10−3 0.23
PTzBI-dF 0.85 (0.85 ± 0.01) 26.33 25.96 75.5 (74.8 ± 0.5) 16.8 (16.7 ± 0.2) 1.72 × 10−3 4.58 × 10−3 0.21
(26.28 ± 0.27)
a
Measured under simulated AM 1.5G, 1 sun illumination with the average values obtained from 24 individual devices.

Figure 4. 2D GIWAXS patterns for neat films of (a) PTzBI-pF, (b) PTzBI-dF, and blend films of (c) PTzBI-pF:Y6 and (d) PTzBI-dF:Y6, in
optimized conditions. (e) Line-cuts of GIWAXS for relevant neat and blend films; the solid and dashed lines represent the out-of-plane and
in-plane directions, respectively.

factor (FF) of 35.3 ± 0.7%. In contrast, the PTzBI-dF:Y6 very close to kBT/q (Figure S17), implying the more
device shows a PCE of 16.7 ± 0.2%, with a higher JSC of 26.28 pronounced trap-assisted monomolecular recombination in
± 0.27 mA cm−2 and an FF of 74.8 ± 0.5% (Table 2). The PTzBI-pF:Y6 devices.
decent performance highlights the value of upfront investment Electroluminescence (EL) measurements were used to
in chemical design and synthesis. The high and flat external analyze VOC losses of these PSCs. It can be seen from Figure
quantum efficiency (EQE) spectrum at 450−850 nm for the S18 that pure films of PTzBI-pF and PTzBI-dF exhibit EL
PTzBI-dF:Y6-based PSCs validated the obtained JSC of these peaks at 604 and 724 nm, respectively, consistent with the
devices (Figure 3b). peaks obtained from PL spectra (Figure 3c). Blends of PTzBI-
To understand the much lower JSC and FF observed for the pF:Y6 and PTzBI-dF:Y6 show an EL peak at approximately
PTzBI-pF:Y6 devices compared with those of their PTzBI- 935 nm (Figure 3d), which is very close to the emission of Y6
dF:Y6 counterparts, we initially considered the charge (Figure S18), indicating the absence of charge-transfer (CT)
generation in these devices. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra emission. Moreover, by using the radiative efficiency (termed
of pure donors and relevant blends, excited around the donor’s the electroluminescence external quantum efficiency, EQEEL)
absorption maximum, show weak emission quenching of obtained by applying an injecting current density equivalent to
PTzBI-pF by Y6 (Figure 3c), consistent with a modest the JSC of the solar cell devices, we evaluated the nonradiative
electron-transfer efficiency. Space-charge-limited current VOC loss (ΔVOC,nr) using the well-established relationship
(SCLC) measurements reveal a major difference in hole ΔVOC,nr(T) = −(kBT/q) ln(EQEEL), where kB is Boltzmann’s
transport abilities of PTzBI-pF and PTzBI-dF (Figure S14). constant, q is the elementary charge, and T is temper-
Thus, the more planar polymer PTzBI-dF has a hole mobility ature.35−37 As summarized in Table 2, the ΔVOC,nr values
(μh) of 1.06 × 10−2 cm2 V−1 s−1, while that of PTzBI-pF is 5 calculated for PTzBI-pF:Y6 and PTzBI-dF:Y6 are 0.23 and
orders of magnitude lower (2.14 × 10−7 cm2 V−1 s−1, see Table 0.21 V, respectively. Through determination of the band gap
1). The hole mobility shows the same trend in the blends (Eg) for each blend system from the EQE spectra (Figure
(Figure S15), being 1.90 × 10−7 and 1.72 × 10−3 cm2 V−1 s−1 S19),38 we quantify the detailed VOC losses in Table S4 and
for PTzBI-pF:Y6 and PTzBI-dF:Y6, respectively (Table 2). note that PTzBI-dF:Y6 has a slightly higher radiative limit VOC
Although comparable electron mobility (μe) of ∼5 × 10−3 cm2 (VOC,rad) of 1.06 V compared with that of PTzBI-pF:Y6 (1.03
V−1 s−1 is found for these two blends (Figure S16), the large V). These lower nonradiative and radiative VOC losses account
imbalance between μh and μe for the PTzBI-pF:Y6 blends for the larger VOC of 0.85 V for the PTzBI-dF:Y6 cells relative
might account for the lower FF of the PSC devices containing to that of 0.80 V for the PTzBI-pF:Y6 counterparts (Table 2).
this copolymer. The fitted VOC−light intensity (Plight) A ternary strategy was further utilized to explore the
characteristics gives a much larger slope of 6.57 kBT/q for efficiency potential of PTzBI-dF in solar cells, while
PTzBI-pF:Y6 cells, while that for PTzBI-pF:Y6 counterparts is maintaining the optimized processing conditions as for binary
2091 https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.0c00939
ACS Energy Lett. 2020, 5, 2087−2094
ACS Energy Letters http://pubs.acs.org/journal/aelccp Letter

devices. The impact of different loading of the third obtained from its twisted counterpart PTzBI-pF. Further
component, [6,6]-phenyl C71 butyric acid methyl ester ternary strategy in PTzBI-dF devices renders a milestone
(PC71BM), on the device performance is illustrated in Figure efficiency of up to 17.3%, demonstrating the strategic utility of
S20a. We note that 20% loading of PC71BM gives the best tailoring the positions of halogen substitution in conjugated
performance with obviously increased FF of 76.6%, resulting in polymers to enable their incorporation into highly efficient
a preferable efficiency of 17.3% (Figure 3e and Table S5), PSCs.
while the same ratio of PTzBI-pF ternary cells corresponds to
an almost unchanged efficiency with respect to the binary case
(Figure S20b). The VOC−Plight characteristics for PTzBI-dF-

*
ASSOCIATED CONTENT
sı Supporting Information
based binary and ternary cells indicate weak charge The Supporting Information is available free of charge at
recombination in both devices (Figure S17), we thus surmise https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsenergylett.0c00939.
that the improvement of ternary cells might be attributed to
the extended electron transport channel enabled by fullerene- General synthesis and characterization, fabrication and
induced hierarchical morphology.33 The efficiency histogram characterization of polymer solar cells, 1HNMR and
of devices based on PTzBI-dF:PC71BM:Y6 (1:0.2:1) demon- COSY spectra of relevant monomers, CV plots of
strates the excellent repeatability and reliability of the device polymers, SCLC characteristics for single-carrier devices,
performance (Figure 3f), highlighting the value of upfront EL response for neat films, VOC loss quantification, and
investment in chemical design and synthesis. GIWAXS fitting parameters (PDF)


The molecular packing and aggregation morphology were
investigated by grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering AUTHOR INFORMATION
(GIWAXS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The two- Corresponding Authors
dimensional GIWAXS patterns for the neat films clearly Lei Ying − Institute of Polymer Optoelectronic Materials and
demonstrate the significantly weaker π−π stacking of PTzBI- Devices, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and
pF (Figure 4a), as compared with PTzBI-dF (Figure 4b). In Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou
addition, the q vector of the (010) scattering peak for PTzBI- 510640, China; orcid.org/0000-0003-1137-2355;
pF (q = 1.59 Å−1) is much lower than that for PTzBI-dF (q = Email: msleiying@scut.edu.cn
1.74 Å−1), corresponding to a large (010) d-spacing of 3.95 Å Fei Huang − Institute of Polymer Optoelectronic Materials and
for PTzBI-pF (Figure 4e). This observation appears to reflect Devices, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and
the twisted-chain skeleton of PTzBI-pF demonstrated by DFT Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou
calculations (Figure 2a). Moreover, the PTzBI-pF neat film 510640, China; orcid.org/0000-0001-9665-6642;
displays a much lower conjugated coherence length (CCL) in Email: msfhuang@scut.edu.cn
both (010) and (100) directions (Table S6) with respect to
PTzBI-dF, further revealing the substantially different crystal- Authors
lization abilities of these two isomers. Baobing Fan − Institute of Polymer Optoelectronic Materials
For the blend films, the (010) scattering peak in the PTzBI- and Devices, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials
dF:Y6 system is greatly reinforced (Figure 4d) as compared and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou
with the PTzBI-dF neat film, which is ascribed to the 510640, China
crystallinity of Y6.39 However, the trend is different in the Meijing Li − Institute of Polymer Optoelectronic Materials and
PTzBI-pF:Y6 system, where weak molecular stacking is Devices, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and
exhibited by both PTzBI-pF and Y6 (Figure 4c). Similar to Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou
the observations in neat films, we also find a lower (010) CCL 510640, China
of 18.27 Å for the PTzBI-pF:Y6 blend relative to that of 23.78 Difei Zhang − Institute of Polymer Optoelectronic Materials and
Å for the PTzBI-dF:Y6 blend. In addition, PTzBI-pF:Y6 blend Devices, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and
films exhibited a lumpy-aggregation distributed morphology as Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou
revealed by AFM images, while PTzBI-dF:Y6 presented a 510640, China
continuous fibrous-cluster distribution across the entire film Wenkai Zhong − Institute of Polymer Optoelectronic Materials
(Figure S21). These results are consistent with the much better and Devices, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials
photovoltaic performance of the PSCs based on PTzBI-dF:Y6. and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou
In summary, we designed and synthesized two [1,2,3]- 510640, China
triazolo[4,5-f ]isoindole-5,7(2H,6H)-dione (TzBI)-based poly- Zhaomiyi Zeng − Institute of Polymer Optoelectronic Materials
meric donors containing regioisomeric fluorothiophene and Devices, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials
bridges, namely, PTzBI-pF and PTzBI-dF, where “p” and “d” and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou
refer to the fluorine atom in the π-bridge “proximal” and 510640, China
“distal” to the TzBI unit, respectively. The position of the Kang An − Institute of Polymer Optoelectronic Materials and
fluorine atom has pronounced effects on the light-absorption Devices, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and
profiles and charge carrier mobility of the polymers, Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou
attributable to the distinct molecular conformations and 510640, China
aggregation morphologies of the polymers, as verified by the Zhenqiang Huang − Institute of Polymer Optoelectronic
correlation between theoretical calculations and grazing Materials and Devices, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent
incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering measurements. As a Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology,
result, the planar polymer, PTzBI-dF, exhibited a much greater Guangzhou 510640, China
power conversion efficiency of 16.8% when combined with the Linrui Shi − Institute of Polymer Optoelectronic Materials and
nonfullerene acceptor Y6, compared with that of 1.4% Devices, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and
2092 https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.0c00939
ACS Energy Lett. 2020, 5, 2087−2094
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Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Semiconductor ITIC Acceptor Makes 11.77% High Efficiency
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Guillermo C. Bazan − Institute of Polymer Optoelectronic (11) Yao, Z.; Liao, X.; Gao, K.; Lin, F.; Xu, X.; Shi, X.; Zuo, L.; Liu,
Materials and Devices, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent F.; Chen, Y.; Jen, A. K.-Y. Dithienopicenocarbazole-Based Acceptors
for Efficient Organic Solar Cells with Optoelectronic Response Over
Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology,
1000 nm and an Extremely Low Energy Loss. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018,
Guangzhou 510640, China; Departments of Chemistry and 140 (6), 2054−2057.
Chemical Engineering, National University of Singapore, (12) Yuan, J.; Zhang, Y.; Zhou, L.; Zhang, G.; Yip, H.-L.; Lau, T.-K.;
Singapore; orcid.org/0000-0002-2537-0310 Lu, X.; Zhu, C.; Peng, H.; Johnson, P. A.; Leclerc, M.; Cao, Y.;
Yong Cao − Institute of Polymer Optoelectronic Materials and Ulanski, J.; Li, Y.; Zou, Y. Single-Junction Organic Solar Cell with
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Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Deficient Core. Joule 2019, 3 (4), 1140−1151.
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Author Contributions (14) Price, S. C.; Stuart, A. C.; Yang, L.; Zhou, H.; You, W. Fluorine
#
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The authors declare no competing financial interest.


(15) Akkuratov, A. V.; Susarova, D. K.; Inasaridze, L. N.; Troshin, P.
A. The effect of the fluorine loading on the optoelectronic and
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS photovoltaic properties of (X-DADAD-)n-type donor-acceptor
This work was financially supported by the National Key copolymers with the benzothiadiazole A units. Phys. Status Solidi
Research and Development Program of China (No. RRL 2017, 11 (6), 1700087.
2019YFA0705901) funded by MOST, the National Natural (16) Zhang, X.; Zhang, D.; Zhou, Q.; Wang, R.; Zhou, J.; Wang, J.;
Zhou, H.; Zhang, Y. Fluorination with an enlarged dielectric constant
Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21520102006, 21905103,
prompts charge separation and reduces bimolecular recombination in
and 21822505), Guangdong Major Project of Basic and non-fullerene organic solar cells with a high fill factor and efficiency >
Applied Basic Research (No. 2019B030302007), and China 13%. Nano Energy 2019, 56, 494−501.
Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2019M660200).


(17) Zhang, Y.; Yao, H.; Zhang, S.; Qin, Y.; Zhang, J.; Yang, L.; Li,
W.; Wei, Z.; Gao, F.; Hou, J. Fluorination vs. chlorination: a case
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