Efficient non-fullerene polymer solar cells enabled by tetrahedron-shaped core based 3D-structure small-molecular electron acceptors

Abstract

Here we report a series of tetraphenyl carbon-group (tetraphenylmethane (TPC), tetraphenylsilane (TPSi) and tetraphenylgermane (TPGe)) core based 3D-structure non-fullerene electron acceptors, enabling efficient polymer solar cells with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of up to ∼4.3%. The results show that TPC and TPSi core-based polymer solar cells (PSCs) perform significantly better than that based on TPGe. Our study provides a new approach for designing small molecular acceptor materials for polymer solar cells.