Project R-14968

Non-fullerene acceptors for efficient vacuum-processed organic solar cells (Research)

Organic semiconductors are attracting increasing interest due to their eco-friendly properties and their ease of integration into a wide range of electronic and optoelectronic devices, particularly for photovoltaic applications. In recent years, the use of non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) has significantly improved the performance and sustainability of organic solar cells (OSC), further driving research in this direction. However, so far no efficient vacuum processed (VP) NFAs have been found, but recent results suggest this is possible. By using a visible light emitting donor-acceptor system (a pyrimidine derivative, B4PYMPM) as NFA, VP OSCs with low voltage losses were demonstrated. Building upon these results, this research project aims to investigate the fundamental reasons behind B4PYMPM effectiveness and to explore new NFA molecules, starting from molecules derived by chemical modification of the B4PYMPM itself, in order to provide design rules for developing new effective VP NFAs with greater environmental sustainability. This study will be conducted by fabricating and characterizing OSCs through electrical and optoelectronic measurements, like photoluminescence and electroluminescence, wavelength and time resolved, as well as I-V curves. This work is exoected to contribute to the understanding and development of renewable energy technologies based on OSCs, offering promising solutions to current environmental and energy challenges.

01 October 2024 - 30 April 2026