Shan-Ci Chen

Asymmetric-Indenothiophene-Based Copolymers for Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells with 9.14% Efficiency

The first two asymmetric-indenothiophene-based donor-acceptor copolymers (PITBT and PITFBT) are prepared through Stille coupling reactions between distannyl indenothiophene and brominated benzothiadiazole derivatives. The best performing solar cell fabricated from PITFBT exhibits a power conversion efficiency of 9.14% which demonstrates a great potential of the asymmetric indenothiophene for high-performance copolymers.

New optical supramolecular compound constructed from a polyoxometalate cluster and an organic substrate

A new optical supramolecular compound constructed from a polyoxometalate cluster and an organic substrate [(H3O)(C12H10N3)2(PW12O40)] (1) has been synthesized via a hydrothermal reaction and has been structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. The solid-state diffuse reflectance, IR, and photoluminescence spectra of the title compound indicate that there is an interaction between the alpha-PW12O40 and the organic substrate. The light-yellow title compound shows a certain second-order nonlinear optical response of I(2omega) = 2I(KDP)(2omega).

Spontaneous asymmetrical crystallization of a three-dimensional diamondoid framework material from achiral precursors

Presented here is a homochiral three-dimensional diamondoid framework material, [Zn(AMTD)(2)](n) generated through an unusual spontaneous asymmetrical crystallization from achiral precursors without any enantiopure additives, which first demonstrates that symmetry breaking could be driven by the cooperation of twisted framework topology and an asymmetrical ligand.

Interface control of semiconducting metal oxide layers for efficient and stable inverted polymer solar cells with open-circuit voltages over 1.0 volt.

Inverted polymer solar cells (PSCs) with high open-circuit voltages of 1.00-1.06 V are fabricated by using an indenofluorene-containing copolymer (PIFTBT8) as an electron donor material and [6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) as an electron acceptor material. To improve the photovoltaic performance, interface control of various low-temperature processed ZnO films as cathode buffer layers is systematically investigated for effective electron transportation, while transition metal oxides including MoO3, WO3, NiO, and Cu2O are employed as anode buffer layers for hole-extraction. Incorporation of optimized semiconducting metal oxide interlayers can minimize interfacial power losses, which thus affords large open-circuit voltages (Voc), increased short-circuit current densities (Jsc), and fill factors (FF), eventually contributing to higher power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) as well as better device stability. Due to the improved interfacial contacts and fine-matching energy levels, inverted PSCs with a device configuration of ITO/ZnO/PIFTBT8:PC71BM/MoO3/Ag exhibit a high PCE of 5.05% with a large Voc of 1.04 V, a Jsc of 9.74 mA cm(-2), and an FF of 50.1%. For the single junction inverted PSCs with efficiencies over 5.0%, 1.04 V is the largest Voc ever achieved. By controlling the processing conditions of the active layer, the Voc can further be improved to 1.05 and 1.06 V, with PCEs of 4.70% and 4.18%, respectively. More importantly, the inverted PSCs are ascertained to maintain a PCE of 4.55% (>90% of its initial efficiency) and a Voc of 1.05 V over 180 days, demonstrating good long-term stability, which is much better than that of the conventional devices. The results suggest that the interface engineering of metal oxide interlayers is an important strategy to develop PSCs with good performance.

Two-photon absorption and optical power limiting properties of ladder-type tetraphenylene cored chromophores with different terminal groups

A series of soluble ladder-type tetraphenylene cored chromophores with different terminal groups have been synthesized and their structure–property relationship with regards to various linear optical and nonlinear optical properties has been established. By using the two-photon excited fluorescence method and the nonlinear transmission method, the two-photon absorption (2PA) properties of these chromophores were determined, and they were found to be strongly dependent on the electron-richness of the ladder-type tetraphenylene core, as well as the terminal groups. The introduction of strong electron donors (N-alkyl) in both the central core and the terminals led to a chromophore with a high 2PA cross-section value of 2137 GM. Optical limiting behaviors of the synthesized chromophores in THF were investigated by using a femto-second ultra-fast laser. 2PA coefficients for these chromophores in THF (5 mM) ranged from 0.131–0.256 cm GW−1. The ladder-type tetraphenylene cored chromophore with the highest 2PA cross-section value exhibited the best optical limiting performance, as evidenced by light transmission as low as 19.1% at 770 nm under an intensity of 99.6 GW cm−2. The excellent optical limiting performance of these chromophores makes them useful in photonic or optoelectronic devices for protecting human eyes and optical sensors, as well as for stabilizing light sources in optical communications.

A 2D polyoxometalate-based complex: spin-canting and metamagnetism

A novel polyoxometalate-based complex [Cu2(ptz)(H2O)(μ2-O)(Mo4O13)]·H2O (ptz= 5-(2-pyridyl)tetrazole) was synthesized using a hydrothermal method; it exhibits a two-dimensional network structure and the concomitant existence of spin canting and metamagnetism.

New (3,4)-connected intrinsically chiral topology observed in a homochiral coordination polymer from achiral precursors

An unpredicted (3,4)-connected topology with intrinsic chirality presented in a homochiral coordination polymer [Cu2(L)CN]n (1; L = 5-(4-pyridyl)tetrazole) was first shown here, which reveals a new possibility for the construction of lowly-connected chiral framework materials with potential applications.

Photoluminescence study of ZnO nanotubes under hydrostatic pressure

Photoluminescence of ZnO single crystal nanotubes grown on sapphire substrate by metal organic chemical vapor deposition has been studied as a function of applied hydrostatic pressure using the diamond-anvil-cell technique. The photoluminescence spectra of the ZnO nanotubes at atmospheric pressure are dominated by strong near-band-edge ΓFX and ΓBX excitonic emission lines accompanied by a weak broad deep-level (DL) emission band. The pressure-induced shifts of all observed emission lines are followed up to 15Gpa, when ZnO nanotubes undergo a phase transition from a direct-gap wurtzite structure to an indirect-gap rocksalt structure. The ΓFX emission is found to shift toward higher energy with applied pressure at a rate of 29.6meV∕GPa, which provides a method to measure the pressure coefficient of the direct Γ band gap in the wurtzite ZnO nanotubes. The ΓBX emission has a pressure coefficient of 21.6meV∕GPa, about 30% smaller than that of the ZnO band gap, which suggests that it might originate from the ra...

Highly soluble heteroheptacene: a new building block for p-type semiconducting polymers.

A facial synthetic route to a new heteroheptacene with the inclusion of carbazole and thiophene units is described. The synthesis of two new semiconducting copolymers with use of the heteroheptacene unit is also reported. The introduction of heteroatoms (sulfur, nitrogen) in the fused-ring system leads to small optical band-gaps of these polymers. The charge carrier mobilities for these polymers are measured in ambient conditions which are sufficient for photovoltaic applications.

Solution-derived poly(ethylene glycol)-TiOx nanocomposite film as a universal cathode buffer layer for enhancing efficiency and stability of polymer solar cells

Highly efficient and stable polymer solar cells (PSCs) have been fabricated by adopting solution-derived hybrid poly(ethylene glycol)-titanium oxide (PEG-TiOx) nanocomposite films as a novel and universal cathode buffer layer (CBL), which can greatly improve device performance by reducing interface energy barriers and enhancing charge extraction/collection. The performance of inverted PSCs with varied bulk-heterojunctions (BHJs) based on this hybrid nanocomposite CBL was found to be much better than those of control devices with a pure TiOx CBL or without a CBL. An excellent power conversion efficiency up to 9.05% under AM 1.5G irradiation (100 mW·cm−2) was demonstrated, which represents a record high value for inverted PSCs with TiOx-based interface materials.