A star-shaped oligothiophene with triphenylamine as core and octyl cyanoacetate as end groups for solution-processed organic solar cells

A new star-shaped D–π–A molecule with triphenylamine (TPA) as core and donor unit, octyl cyanoacetate (CA) as end group and acceptor unit, and 2,2′-bithiophene vinylene (bTV) as π bridge, S(TPA-bTV-CA) was designed and synthesized for the application as donor materials in solution-processed bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells (OSCs). The compound is soluble in common organic solvents. The thermal, optical and electrochemical properties of the star molecule were studied. The OSC devices were fabricated by spin-coating the blend solution of the molecule as donor and PC70BM as acceptor (1:3, w/w). The OSC device based on S(TPA-bTV-CA)/PC70BM demonstrated a high open circuit voltage of 0.91 V, a short circuit current density of 4.64 mA/cm2, a fill factor (FF) of 50%, corresponding to a power conversion efficiency of 2.1%, under the illumination of AM 1.5, 100 mW/cm2.

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► A new solution-processable star-shaped D–π–A molecule S(TPA-bTV-CA) was synthesized for the application in OSCs.
► The compound possesses good thermal stability and suitable electronic energy levels.
► The OSC device based on S(TPA-bTV-CA)/PC70BM (1:3, w/w) demonstrated a PCE of 2.1% with a high Voc of 0.91 V.