Polymer solar cells incorporating one-dimensional polyaniline nanotubes

We have fabricated polymer solar cell devices based on poly(3-hexylthiophene):[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) and incorporating one-dimensional nanostructured acid-doped polyaniline nanotubes (a-PANINs) as an interfacial layer. The power conversion efficiency of an annealed device incorporating the a-PANIN layer reached 4.26% under AM 1.5 G (100 mW/cm2) illumination, an increase of ca. 26% relative to that of the annealed device lacking an a-PANIN interfacial layer. The incorporation of the a-PANINs in the solution-processed polymer solar cells was reproducible; the high conductivity, controlled tubular nanoscale morphologies, and mobility of the annealed a-PANIN layer led to efficient extraction of photogenerated holes to the buffer layer and suppression of exciton recombination, thereby improving the photovoltaic performance.