Halogenation‐Engineered Acceptor Enables 20.14% Efficiency in Hydrocarbon‐Solvent Processed OSCs: From Binary Trade‐Offs to Ternary Synergy in Exciton and Energy Loss Management

Abstract Halogenation emerges as a key strategy to enhance the performance of organic solar cells (OSCs) by tuning molecular packing, energy levels, and charge dynamics. Here, we report three new benzo[ a ]phenazine‐core small‐molecule acceptors, namely NA5, NA6, and NA7, and systematically evaluate their photovoltaic properties in o ‐xylene‐processed binary and ternary OSCs. Halogenation significantly strengthens intermolecular interactions, improves charge carrier mobility, and facilitates exciton dissociation, leading to a remarkable increase in binary device efficiencies from ∼2% (NA5) to over 17% (NA6, NA7). However, halogenation also increases charge‐transfer state character, which can induce higher nonradiative recombination and energy loss. Despite this drawback, the enhanced driving force for charge separation and improved morphological order enabled by halogenation outweigh the negative effects on energy loss. Notably, incorporation of NA7 into the PM6:BTP‐eC9 ternary system optimizes blend morphology, suppresses nonradiative recombination, and thus achieves a record power conversion efficiency of 20.14% (certified 19.93%)—the highest reported for OSCs processed with hydrocarbon solvents. These findings highlight the dual role of halogenation in modulating both beneficial and detrimental aspects of device energetics, providing new insights into molecular design strategies for high‐performance, environmental‐friendly OSCs.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Angewandte Chemie
Published
2025-09-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.202512237
Citations
3
Primary Topic
Organic Electronics and Photovoltaics
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
2.19

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Halogenation‐Engineered Acceptor Enables 20.14% Efficiency in Hydrocarbon‐Solvent Processed OSCs: From Binary Trade‐Offs to Ternary Synergy in Exciton and Energy Loss Management

Qunping Fan, Zhaozhao Bi, Ruijie Ma, Mengyang Wang et al.
3 citations
Angewandte Chemie
Organic Electronics and Photovoltaics
2.19
article

Halogenation‐Engineered Acceptor Enables 20.14% Efficiency in Hydrocarbon‐Solvent Processed OSCs: From Binary Trade‐Offs to Ternary Synergy in Exciton and Energy Loss Management

Qunping Fan, Zhaozhao Bi, Ruijie Ma, Mengyang Wang, Jiaying Wu, Yongmin Luo, Zhenghui Luo, YS Chan, Chuluo Yang, Zhanxiang Chen, Weifei Wei, Yao Li, Jun Zhang, Gang Li, Wei Ma
article en
3 citations

Abstract

Abstract Halogenation emerges as a key strategy to enhance the performance of organic solar cells (OSCs) by tuning molecular packing, energy levels, and charge dynamics. Here, we report three new benzo[ a ]phenazine‐core small‐molecule acceptors, namely NA5, NA6, and NA7, and systematically evaluate their photovoltaic properties in o ‐xylene‐processed binary and ternary OSCs. Halogenation significantly strengthens intermolecular interactions, improves charge carrier mobility, and facilitates exciton dissociation, leading to a remarkable increase in binary device efficiencies from ∼2% (NA5) to over 17% (NA6, NA7). However, halogenation also increases charge‐transfer state character, which can induce higher nonradiative recombination and energy loss. Despite this drawback, the enhanced driving force for charge separation and improved morphological order enabled by halogenation outweigh the negative effects on energy loss. Notably, incorporation of NA7 into the PM6:BTP‐eC9 ternary system optimizes blend morphology, suppresses nonradiative recombination, and thus achieves a record power conversion efficiency of 20.14% (certified 19.93%)—the highest reported for OSCs processed with hydrocarbon solvents. These findings highlight the dual role of halogenation in modulating both beneficial and detrimental aspects of device energetics, providing new insights into molecular design strategies for high‐performance, environmental‐friendly OSCs.

Angewandte ChemieVol. 137(43)
Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HK), Shenzhen University (CN), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HK), Guangzhou Institute of Advanced Technology (CN), Zero to Three (US), Xi'an Jiaotong University (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, Higher Education Discipline Innovation Project, National Key Research and Development Program of China
Openalex Percentile: Top 11%
Organic Electronics and Photovoltaics
2.19
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.