Conductivity Enhancement of PEDOT:PSS Films via Phosphoric Acid Treatment for Flexible All-Plastic Solar Cells.

UNLABELLED Highly conductive polymer films on plastic substrates are desirable for the application of flexible electronics. Here, we report the conductivity of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) ( PEDOT PSS) can be enhanced to 1460 S/cm via phosphoric acid (H3PO4) treatment. The conductivity enhancement is associated with the partial removal of PSS from the film. The H3PO4 treatment is compatible with plastic substrates, while sulfuric acid (H2SO4) can easily damage the plastic substrate. With the flexible electrode of poly(ether sulfone) (PES)/H3PO4-treated PEDOT PSS, we have demonstrated flexible all-plastic solar cells (PES/H3PO4-treated PEDOT PSS/PEI/P3HT:ICBA/EG-PEDOT:PSS). The cells exhibit an open-circuit voltage of 0.84 V, a fill factor of 0.60, and a power conversion efficiency of 3.3% under 100 mW/cm(2) white light illumination.

[1]  Sheng Zeng,et al.  A nonionic surfactant simultaneously enhancing wetting property and electrical conductivity of PEDOT:PSS for vacuum-free organic solar cells , 2015 .

[2]  Seyoung Kee,et al.  Highly Conductive All‐Plastic Electrodes Fabricated Using a Novel Chemically Controlled Transfer‐Printing Method , 2015, Advanced materials.

[3]  Tongfa Liu,et al.  Metal electrode-free perovskite solar cells with transfer-laminated conducting polymer electrode. , 2015, Optics express.

[4]  Lin Mao,et al.  Vacuum-free and metal electrode-free organic tandem solar cells , 2015 .

[5]  X. Crispin,et al.  Poly(ethylene imine) Impurities Induce n‐doping Reaction in Organic (Semi)Conductors , 2014, Advanced materials.

[6]  J. Xue,et al.  Recent progress in organic photovoltaics: device architecture and optical design , 2014 .

[7]  Seyoung Kee,et al.  Highly Conductive PEDOT:PSS Nanofibrils Induced by Solution‐Processed Crystallization , 2014, Advanced materials.

[8]  Bernard Kippelen,et al.  All-plastic solar cells with a high photovoltaic dynamic range , 2014 .

[9]  P. Wang,et al.  Highly conductive PEDOT:PSS treated with formic acid for ITO-free polymer solar cells. , 2014, ACS applied materials & interfaces.

[10]  Yong Cao,et al.  Recent Advances in Polymer Solar Cells: Realization of High Device Performance by Incorporating Water/Alcohol‐Soluble Conjugated Polymers as Electrode Buffer Layer , 2014, Advanced materials.

[11]  O. Inganäs,et al.  25th Anniversary Article: Organic Photovoltaic Modules and Biopolymer Supercapacitors for Supply of Renewable Electricity: A Perspective from Africa , 2014, Advanced materials.

[12]  J. Ouyang,et al.  Solution-processed PEDOT:PSS films with conductivities as indium tin oxide through a treatment with mild and weak organic acids. , 2013, ACS applied materials & interfaces.

[13]  Jianyong Ouyang,et al.  "Secondary doping" methods to significantly enhance the conductivity of PEDOT: PSS for its application as transparent electrode of optoelectronic devices , 2013, Displays.

[14]  C. Lekakou,et al.  In-plane conduction characterisation and charge transport model of DMSO co-doped, inkjet printed Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): Polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) , 2013 .

[15]  D. Zahn,et al.  Enhancement of the thermoelectric properties of PEDOT:PSS thin films by post-treatment , 2013 .

[16]  Shangfeng Yang,et al.  High-efficiency ITO-free polymer solar cells using highly conductive PEDOT:PSS/surfactant bilayer transparent anodes , 2013 .

[17]  S. Hashmi,et al.  High rate performance of flexible pseudocapacitors fabricated using ionic-liquid-based proton conducting polymer electrolyte with poly(3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) and its hydrous ruthenium oxide composite electrodes. , 2013, ACS applied materials & interfaces.

[18]  Bernard Kippelen,et al.  Recyclable organic solar cells on cellulose nanocrystal substrates , 2013, Scientific Reports.

[19]  Bernard Kippelen,et al.  High performance polymeric charge recombination layer for organic tandem solar cells , 2012 .

[20]  K. Ho,et al.  Highly conductive PEDOT:PSS electrode by simple film treatment with methanol for ITO-free polymer solar cells , 2012 .

[21]  Jianyong Ouyang,et al.  Solution‐Processed Metallic Conducting Polymer Films as Transparent Electrode of Optoelectronic Devices , 2012, Advanced materials.

[22]  Hiroyasu Masunaga,et al.  PEDOT Nanocrystal in Highly Conductive PEDOT:PSS Polymer Films , 2012 .

[23]  Talha M. Khan,et al.  A Universal Method to Produce Low–Work Function Electrodes for Organic Electronics , 2012, Science.

[24]  C. Lekakou,et al.  A comparative assessment of surface microstructure and electrical conductivity dependence on co-solvent addition in spin coated and inkjet printed poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulphonate (PEDOT:PSS) , 2012 .

[25]  Frederik C. Krebs,et al.  Life-cycle analysis of product integrated polymer solar cells , 2011 .

[26]  Olle Inganäs,et al.  Organic photovoltaics: Avoiding indium , 2011 .

[27]  Y. Kim,et al.  Highly Conductive PEDOT:PSS Electrode with Optimized Solvent and Thermal Post‐Treatment for ITO‐Free Organic Solar Cells , 2011 .

[28]  Jianyong Ouyang,et al.  PEDOT:PSS films with significantly enhanced conductivities induced by preferential solvation with cosolvents and their application in polymer photovoltaic cells , 2011 .

[29]  Jianyong Ouyang,et al.  Highly conductive PEDOT:PSS films prepared through a treatment with zwitterions and their application in polymer photovoltaic cells , 2010 .

[30]  R. García‐Valverde,et al.  Life cycle analysis of organic photovoltaic technologies , 2010 .

[31]  Jianyong Ouyang,et al.  Significant conductivity enhancement of conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) films through a treatment with organic carboxylic acids and inorganic acids. , 2010, ACS applied materials & interfaces.

[32]  K. Fehse,et al.  Highly Conductive Polymer Anodes as Replacements for Inorganic Materials in High‐Efficiency Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes , 2007 .

[33]  F. Chen,et al.  High‐Conductivity Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):Poly(styrene sulfonate) Film and Its Application in Polymer Optoelectronic Devices , 2005 .

[34]  P. Schaetzel,et al.  Sulfonation of polysulfones: Suitability of the sulfonated materials for asymmetric membrane preparation , 2002 .

[35]  Hidenori Okuzaki,et al.  Highly conductive PEDOT/PSS microfibers fabricated by wet-spinning and dip-treatment in ethylene glycol , 2009 .