Issue 6, 2015

A dopant free linear acene derivative as a hole transport material for perovskite pigmented solar cells

Abstract

A solution processable, molecular organic semiconductor, 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS-pentacene), was employed as hole transport material (HTM) in mesoscopic methylammonium lead iodide perovskite solar cells. TIPS-pentacene is potentially cost effective, exhibits a relatively high hole mobility and has a favourable HOMO level with respect to the valence band of perovskite. The photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells with TIPS-pentacene as HTM in its pristine form and with a dopant/additive was investigated and compared with classical spiro-OMeTAD based devices. Through solvoneering (solvent engineering) and concentration optimization TIPS-pentacene in its pristine form gave a very competitive power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 11.8% under 1 sun conditions. The open circuit voltage of 0.92 V and a short circuit current density of 20.86 mA cm−2 for the devices with pristine TIPS-pentacene were higher compared to doped spiro-OMeTAD based devices under similar conditions, thus paving the use of TIPS-pentacene as an alternative to an expensive spiro-OMeTAD for large area integration in perovskite based solar cells.

Graphical abstract: A dopant free linear acene derivative as a hole transport material for perovskite pigmented solar cells

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
22 Feb 2015
Accepted
13 May 2015
First published
13 May 2015

Energy Environ. Sci., 2015,8, 1816-1823

Author version available

A dopant free linear acene derivative as a hole transport material for perovskite pigmented solar cells

S. Kazim, F. J. Ramos, P. Gao, M. K. Nazeeruddin, M. Grätzel and S. Ahmad, Energy Environ. Sci., 2015, 8, 1816 DOI: 10.1039/C5EE00599J

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