Small Molecule Organic Semiconductors on the Move: Promises for Future Solar Energy Technology
Abstract
This article is written from an organic chemist's point of view and provides an up-to-date review about organic solar cells based on small molecules or oligomers as absorbers and in detail deals with devices that incorporate planar-heterojunctions (PHJ) and bulk heterojunctions (BHJ) between a donor (p-type semiconductor) and an acceptor (n-type semiconductor) material. The article pays particular attention to the design and development of molecular materials and their performance in corresponding devices. In recent years, a substantial amount of both, academic and industrial research, has been directed towards organic solar cells, in an effort to develop new materials and to improve their tunability, processability, power conversion efficiency, and stability. On the eve of commercialization of organic solar cells, this review provides an overview over efficiencies attained with small molecules/oligomers in OSCs and reflects materials and device concepts developed over the last decade. Approaches to enhancing the efficiency of organic solar cells are analyzed.
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Some small molecules and oligomers synthesized from similar building blocks used for low band-gap co-polymers could also realize competitive solar cell efficiencies.
“Some small molecules and oligomers synthesized from similar building blocks used for low band-gap co-polymers could also realize competitive solar cell e ffi ciencies. 22,23”
From Recent progress in porphyrin-based materials for organic solar cells (2018) · cites this paper as [22]
Many research studies in the last decade proved that polymeric materials were not the sole option used for organic solar cells.
“Many research studies in the last decade proved that polymeric materials were not the sole option used for OSCs.”
From Recent progress in porphyrin-based materials for organic solar cells (2018) · cites this paper as [22]
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Solution-processed organic tandem solar cells with power conversion efficiencies >12%
Li, M., Gao, K., Wan, X., Zhang, Q., Kan, B., Xia, R., Liu, F., Yang, X., Feng, H., Ni, W., et al. (2017) · Nature Photonics · doi:10.1038/nphoton.2016.240 · Cited by 548 · see citing works
Recent progress in porphyrin-based materials for organic solar cells
Mahmood, A., Hu, J.-Y., Xiao, B., Tang, A., Wang, X., & Zhou, E. (2018) · Journal of Materials Chemistry A · doi:10.1039/c8ta06392c · Cited by 311 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Mishra, A., & Bäuerle, P.
- Affiliations
- Universität Ulm (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Mishra, Amaresh
- Venue
- Angewandte Chemie International Edition
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2012-02-17
- Volume
- 51
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 2020-2067
- ISSN
- 1433-7851 (ISSN-L)
- 1521-3773
- OpenAlex
- W2145252402
- Cited by
- 1,816
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 21 · 2025: 61 · 2024: 58 · 2023: 68 · 2022: 86 · 2021: 97 · 2020: 89 · 2019: 125 · 2018: 139 · 2017: 151 · 2016: 208 · 2015: 229 · 2014: 226 · 2013: 187 · 2012: 71
- FWCI
- 145.61
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Angewandte Chemie International Edition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Organic Electronics and Photovoltaics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Organic Light-Emitting Diodes Research
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Silicon and Solar Cell Technologies
- Keywords
- organic solar cells, small-molecule organic semiconductors, oligomers, planar heterojunction, bulk heterojunction, donor-acceptor materials, power conversion efficiency, device stability, solar energy technology
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