Citation: Yang Gao, Huarui Zhang, Yan Xie, Xinjun Xu, Yahui Liu, Hao Lu, Wenkai Zhang, Yuqiang Liu, Cuihong Li, Zhishan Bo. Effect of fluorination positions at diphenylamino flanking groups on the photovoltaic performance for nonfused ring electron acceptors[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2026, 37(1): 111622. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.111622 shu

Effect of fluorination positions at diphenylamino flanking groups on the photovoltaic performance for nonfused ring electron acceptors

Yang Gao ^a ,
Huarui Zhang ^a ,
Yan Xie ^b ,
Xinjun Xu ^a ,
Yahui Liu ^c ,
Hao Lu ^c ,
Wenkai Zhang ^b ,
Yuqiang Liu ^{c, *,} ,
Cuihong Li ^{a, *,} ,
Zhishan Bo ^{a, *,}

a.
Beijing Key Laboratory of Energy Conversion and Storage Materials, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
b.
School of Physics and Astronomy, Applied Optics Beijing Area Major Laboratory, Center for Advanced Quantum Studies, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
c.
College of Textiles and Clothing, State Key Laboratory of Bio-fibers and Eco-textiles, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China

yqliu@qdu.edu.cn

licuihong@bnu.edu.cn

zsbo@bnu.edu.cn

Received Date: 20 February 2025
Revised Date: 17 July 2025
Accepted Date: 22 July 2025
Available Online: 26 July 2025

Figures(5)

The fluorination strategy has been proven effective in significantly enhancing the photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells (OSCs) based on non-fused ring electron acceptors (NFREAs). However, research on the impact of fluorination positions at side chains on NFREAs device performance remains scant. In this study, we introduce two isomeric NFREAs, designated as GA-2F-E and GA-2F, distinguished by their fluorination positions at the side chains. Both NFREAs share a thiophene[3,2-b]thiophene core, but their side chains differ: GA-2F-E features two (4-butylphenyl)-N-(4-fluorophenyl) amino groups, whereas GA-2F’s side chains consist of bis(4-fluorophenyl)amino and bis(4-butylphenyl)amino groups attached to opposite sides of the core. To delve into the influence of fluorination positions on the optoelectronic properties, aggregation behavior, and overall efficiency of the acceptor molecules, a comprehensive investigation was conducted. The findings reveal that, despite similar photophysical properties and comparable absorption bandwidths, GA-2F-E, with fluorine atoms positioned on both sides of the molecular framework, demonstrates more compact π-π stacking, reduced bimolecular recombination, superior exciton transport, and a more balanced, higher mobility. As a result of these advantages, OSCs optimized with D18:GA-2F-E achieve a remarkable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.45%, surpassing the 15.83% PCE of devices utilizing D18:GA-2F. This research underscores the potential of NFREAs in future applications and highlights the significance of fluorination positions in enhancing OSC performance, paving the way for the development of more efficient NFREAs.
- Organic solar cells,
- Non-fused ring electron acceptors,
- Fluorination position,
- Diphenylamino groups,
- Power conversion efficiencies
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