The synthesis of polythiophene diblock copolymers (donor) and CdSe NPs (acceptor) for applications in bulk heterojunction solar cells is reported. Sequential polymerization of 2,5-dibromo-3-hexylthiophene and 2,5-dibromo-3-pentenylthiophene was carried out by Grignard Metathesis (GRIM) polymerization to obtain diblock copolymers. The block copolymers were subjected to post-polymerization chemical modification by hydroboration/oxidation to convert the polymer to the hydroxyl derivative. The resulting hydroxyl groups were converted to thiols by a Mitsunobu reaction followed by a reduction using LiAlH4. The composition and molecular weights of the polymers were determined using 1H NMR spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography. The absorption and emission spectra of the polymers were analyzed by UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. CdSe quantum dots, nanorods and tetrapods were synthesized by a hot injection method using cadmium-oleate complex and a trioctylphosphine selenide (TOPSe) solution. Size of the nanoparticles was monitored by UV-Vis spectroscopy and analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Ligands attached to NPs were identified by 1H NMR spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The organic-inorganic bulk heterojunction hybrid solar cells were fabricated by blending the polymers with CdSe NPs in chlorobenzene: pyridine (90:10 V/V) with a weight ratio of 1:9. The photovoltaic performances and morphology dependence of the polymer-CdSe NP solar cells were investigated from conventional device architecture ITO/PEDOT: PSS/Polymer: CdSe QDs/Al.

Influence of the functionalized side chains of polythiophene diblock copolymers: CdSe nanoparticle (NP) bulk heterojunction solar cells

251st National Meeting (2016)

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