An Alkoxy-Solubilizing Decacyclic Electron Acceptor for Efficient Ecofriendly As-Cast Blade-Coated Organic Solar Cells

The rapid development of organic solar cells (OSCs) based on nonfullerene acceptors has achieved significant breakthroughs in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of spin-coated devices. However, the spin-coating method in a protective atmosphere seems unsuitable for the practical printing of high-performance solar panels. In addition, the use of highly toxic solvents is also a stumbling block to the commercial application of OSCs. Thus, photoactive materials for scalable coating and ecofriendly manufacturing approaches are necessary to be developed for OSCs. Herein, a fused-ring electron acceptor named F10IC2 bearing a decacycle core and solubilizing alkoxyl side chains is synthesized and applied in as-cast blade-coated OSCs by blending with polymer donor PTB7-Th. As-cast OSCs based on PTB7-Th: F10IC2 blended films fabricated from chlorobenzene or chlorine-free o-xylene solvents in air without any posttreatment deliver a PCE of 12.5% and 11.4%, respectively, which are among the highest values reported for as-cast blade-coated OSCs. Herein, a strategy of alkoxyl solubilizing to design high-performance material systems for ecofriendly scalable OSCs is provided, which is suitable for future industrial production.