Improving the efficiency of polymer solar cells based on furan-flanked diketopyrrolopyrrole copolymer via solvent additive and methanol treatment

We present a furan-flanked DPP copolymer, poly{3,6-difuran-2-yl-2,5-di(2-octyldodecyl)-pyrrolo [3,4-c]-pyrrole-1,4-dione-altthienylenevinylene} (PDVF-8), and highlight the improvement in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of polymer solar cells (PSCs) based on the PDVF-8 as an electron donor via solvent additive and methanol treatment. When 3 vol% 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO) or 1-chloronaphthalene (CN) were used as a solvent additive to the PDVF-8:PC71BM solution in chloroform (CF), the PCE can increase from 0.79% to 3.73% or 4.26%. Methanol treatment (MT) can further enhance the PCE to 4.03% (DIO) and 4.69% (CN). The effect of the solvent additives (DIO and CN) and MT on the phase separation of the PDVF-8: PC71BM thin film has been investigated in detail using atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), TEM-energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy depth profiling.