Characterizing molecular interactions in polymer : fullerene solar cells
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- The global demand for energy is on the rise, but reliance on power production via fossil fuels has resulted in the emission and accumulation of greenhouse gases which cause global warming. Solar energy provides a clean power generation alternative, and polymer solar cells (PSCs) composed of semiconducting polymers and functionalized fullerenes provide a path to solar power production on a large scale. In this dissertation, I will discuss the mixed polymer:fullerene phase and its implications for polymer solar cell (PSC) performance. Using X-ray diffraction, NMR, and computational modeling, the crystal structure of a polymer:fullerene bimolecular crystal is determined. Using electrochemistry and photoelectron spectroscopy, I show that a strong intermolecular coupling between the polymer and fullerene exists. This intermolecular interaction has a large impact on the PSC energetic landscape which not only drives the formation of the mixed phase, but also impacts device performance. I will also discuss the physical mechanisms responsible for this intermolecular interaction, and use vibrational spectroscopy to determine which mechanism is most likely occurring. Finally, I will discuss how the polymer:fullerene intermolecular interaction impacts open circuit voltage and energetic disorder. Using this understanding of the polymer:fullerene intermolecular interaction, design guidelines are provided for future semiconducting polymers to raise PSC PCE.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Form | electronic; electronic resource; remote |
| Extent | 1 online resource. |
| Publication date | 2015 |
| Issuance | monographic |
| Language | English |
Creators/Contributors
| Associated with | Sweetnam, Sean Michael |
|---|---|
| Associated with | Stanford University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering. |
| Primary advisor | McGehee, Michael |
| Thesis advisor | McGehee, Michael |
| Thesis advisor | Salleo, Alberto |
| Thesis advisor | Toney, Michael Folsom |
| Advisor | Salleo, Alberto |
| Advisor | Toney, Michael Folsom |
Subjects
| Genre | Theses |
|---|
Bibliographic information
| Statement of responsibility | Sean Sweetnam. |
|---|---|
| Note | Submitted to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. |
| Thesis | Thesis (Ph.D.)--Stanford University, 2015. |
| Location | electronic resource |
Access conditions
- Copyright
- © 2015 by Sean Michael Sweetnam
- License
- This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 Unported license (CC BY-NC).
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