Effects of MBA molecule modification on the efficiency of organic solar cells

In recent years, the rising energy demand and the drawbacks associated with fossil fuels have greatly emphasized the need to develop renewable energy sources. Among these, solar energy emerges as a prominent option due to its vast potential. One approach to harness solar energy for electricity generation is through the use of organic solar cells. In this study, the effects of modifying the interface between TiO2 and the active layer in organic solar cells using 4-Methoxybenzoic acid (MBA) on device performance were investigated. To determine the impact of the modification on surface properties, contact angle measurements and UV-Vis spectrophotometry analyses were performed. The obtained results demonstrated that MBA coating alters the surface energy of TiO2. Optical characterization data revealed that MBA coating does not adversely affect light transmittance. Photovoltaic characterization results showed that devices modified with MBA exhibited higher short-circuit current density (Jsc), fill factor (FF), and power conversion efficiency (PCE) compared to reference devices. When comparing the best-performing devices, an increase of approximately 10% in Jsc and 16% in PCE was observed. Based on average values, Jsc improved by 8% and PCE by 14%. The findings indicate that interface engineering using SAM molecules is an effective approach to enhancing the PCE of organic solar cells.