Synthesis and photovoltaic properties of novel PPV-derivatives tethered with spiro-bifluorene unit for polymer solar cells

New thermally robust photoactive arylenevinylene-based conjugated polymers, poly[3,6-bis(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy)-9,9-spirobifluorenyl-2,7-vinylene] [(OC10)2-spiro-PFV] and poly[{3,6-bis(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy)-9,9-spirobifluorenyl-2,7-vinylene}-co-2-{methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene}] [(OC10)2-spiro-PFV-co-MEH-PPV], were synthesized and used to fabricate polymer solar cells. Bulk heterojunction solar cells fabricated by blending the new copolymers, spiro-PFV and (OC10)2-spiro-PFV-co-MEH-PPV, as an electron donor with the fullerene derivative, [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) as an electron acceptor. The effects of electron donor to acceptor ratio, thickness of photoactive layer, and the cathode structures on the power conversion efficiency (PCE) in polymer solar cells were studied. The copolymer feed ratio was found to have a considerable effect on the PCE. The maximum PCE of 1.30% was achieved with (OC10)2-spiro-PFV-co-MEH-PPV.