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Formation of P3KHT:PCBM bulk-heterojunction using orthogonal solvents by ultrasonic spray method

Bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) morphologies with pure domains and sharp interfaces can lead to a more pronounced photovoltaic performance in organic solar cells. In this paper we report the formation of bulk-heterojunction of P3KHT (poly [3-(sodium-6 hexanoate) thiophene-2, 5-diyl]) and PCBM (phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester) using orthogonal solvents by the ultrasonic spray method, which can lead to pure phases and sharp interfaces. P3KHT and PCBM are soluble in water and chlorobenzene respectively, which are orthogonal solvents. The modelling and simulation of the ultrasonic spray method is reported, and shows the possibility of formation of interconnecting phases of the two components in P3KHT:PCBM BHJ, formed using orthogonal solvents, if specific process parameters are chosen. The modelling and simulation also presents a way to determine optimum parameter space in an intermittent spray deposition method using orthogonal solvents. P3KHT:PCBM BHJ has been prepared using three different approaches. Significant photoluminescence quenching, suggesting efficient excitons separation before recombination has been observed in BHJ prepared by the ‘emulsion of solutions’ method. The study of the optical properties of P3KHT:PCBM BHJ suggests that the BHJ may contain bilayer type structures embedded in the BHJ morphology, which is further confirmed by complementary experiments. This new approach to preparing BHJ with pure phase domains and sharp donor/acceptor interfaces may find applications in optoelectronic devices such as organic thin-film transistors, photodetectors, organic light emitting diodes and organic solar cells.