Issue 23, 2015

A low cost azomethine-based hole transporting material for perovskite photovoltaics

Abstract

Most hole transporting materials (HTMs) prepared for perovskite solar cell applications are synthesized via cross-coupling reactions that require expensive transition metal catalysts, inert reaction conditions and extensive product purification; making large-scale production cost-prohibitive. Here, we describe the synthesis of a simple azomethine-based conjugated small-molecule (EDOT-OMeTPA) which is easily prepared in a cost effective Schiff base condensation reaction, with water being the only by-product. As the hole transporter in planar CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite solar cells, efficiencies exceeding 11% were reached. This result is comparable to state-of-the-art materials such as Spiro-OMeTAD on a like-to-like comparison, while cost estimations show that the material cost is about one order of magnitude lower for EDOT-OMeTPA, resulting in a negligible cost-per-peak-Watt contribution of 0.004 $ W−1. In addition, the high synthetic accessibility of EDOT-OMeTPA also reduces the toxic chemical waste and therefore greatly reduces its environmental impact. Our results pave the way towards low-cost, environmentally friendly and efficient HTMs.

Graphical abstract: A low cost azomethine-based hole transporting material for perovskite photovoltaics

Associated articles

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
26 Apr 2015
Accepted
11 May 2015
First published
11 May 2015
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2015,3, 12159-12162

Author version available

A low cost azomethine-based hole transporting material for perovskite photovoltaics

M. L. Petrus, T. Bein, T. J. Dingemans and P. Docampo, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2015, 3, 12159 DOI: 10.1039/C5TA03046C

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