We report for the first time on the fabrication of nanocomposite hole-blocking layers consisting of poly-3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene:poly-styrene-sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) thin films incorporating networks of gold nanoparticles assembled from Au144(SCH2CH2Ph)60, a molecular gold precursor. They can be reproducibly prepared on indium tin oxide by spinning Au144(SCH2CH2Ph)60 solutions in chlorobenzene, annealing the resulting thin film at 400oC, and by subsequently spinning PEDOT:PSS on top. The use of our nanocomposite hole-blocking layers for enhancing the photoconversion efficiency of bulk heterojunction organic solar cells is also demonstrated. Varying the concentration of Au144(SCH2CH2Ph)60 in the starting solution and the annealing time, different morphologies of gold nanostructures can be obtained, from individual nanoparticles (Au NPs) to tessellated networks of gold nanostructures (TessAu NPs). Improvement in organic solar cell efficiencies up to 10% relative to a reference cell is demonstrated with TessAu NPs embedded in PEDOT:PSS.

Tessellated gold nanostructures from Au144(SCH2CH2Ph)60 molecular precursors and their use in organic solar cell enhancement

248th National Meeting (2014)

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