Issue 24, 2023

Interdiffused thermoplastic urethane-PEDOT:PSS bilayers with superior adhesion properties for high-performance and intrinsically-stretchable organic solar cells

Abstract

Despite the rapid increases in the performance of intrinsically-stretchable organic solar cells (IS-OSCs), both the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stretchability of the IS-OSCs should be further enhanced for their use in wearable electronics. Here, we realize efficient (PCE = 13.1%) and highly stretchable (strain at PCE80% = 34%) IS-OSCs by developing a stretchable substrate-bottom electrode made of a molecular interdiffusion (MID)-assisted thermoplastic urethane-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (TPU-PEDOT:PSS) bilayer. The interdiffused bilayer in the MID-based TPU-PEDOT:PSS affords a strongly adhesive interface with fracture energy (Gc) = 45.0 J m−2, which is 3-times higher than the conventional stamp-transferred (ST) TPU-PEDOT:PSS (Gc = 15.1 J m−2). Importantly, the increased adhesion of MID-based TPU-PEDOT:PSS significantly enhances the overall IS-OSC durability. For example, the stretchability of the MID-based IS-OSCs (strain at PCE80% = 34%) was 2-times higher than the conventional ST-based IS-OSCs (strain at PCE80% = 17%) when the active layer was PM6:Y6-BO:N2200. The finite element simulation observes that the high adhesion between the TPU and PEDOT:PSS layers effectively dissipates mechanical stress and prevents cracking at their interface, enhancing the stretchability of the entire IS-OSCs. Therefore, our work provides a useful strategy for developing stretchable transparent electrodes and demonstrates the importance of their interfacial adhesion properties in achieving efficient and highly stretchable IS-OSCs.

Graphical abstract: Interdiffused thermoplastic urethane-PEDOT:PSS bilayers with superior adhesion properties for high-performance and intrinsically-stretchable organic solar cells

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
19 dec 2022
Accepted
13 apr 2023
First published
15 apr 2023

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2023,11, 12846-12855

Interdiffused thermoplastic urethane-PEDOT:PSS bilayers with superior adhesion properties for high-performance and intrinsically-stretchable organic solar cells

J. Lee, J. Lee, H. Song, M. Song, J. Park, G. Kim, D. Jeong, T. Kim and B. J. Kim, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2023, 11, 12846 DOI: 10.1039/D2TA09874A

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