{"title":"Enhancement of exciton properties in poly(3-hexylthiophene) via carbon nitride composites","authors":"Roger Gonçalves, Ernesto Chaves Pereira","doi":"10.1007/s10008-024-06054-7","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Abstract</h3><p>Once the efficiency of solar energy-converting devices depends on the population of the electron–hole pairs (excitons), one way of increasing the conversion efficiency of photoactive materials is using electron-accepting materials, which acts on the separation efficiency of these pairs by collecting the electrons. In such a way, carbon nitride (C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>) has been studied as an electron acceptor. With simple synthesis and easy tailoring properties, this material becomes a promising candidate in organic photovoltaic cells. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the photocurrent as a function of exciton properties. Then, P3HT was obtained by redox polymerization and C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> by urea pyrolysis. Photoelectrochemical and spectroscopic measurements were performed to characterize the electrodes. In addition, theoretical calculations were carried out using TD-DFT. It was observed that a photocurrent 3-fold increased in relation to the pure P3HT film (from 12.1 up to 33.2 µA cm<sup>-2</sup>), attributed to the increase in the hole-electron separation efficiency, with an increase in their lifetime (from 0.18 to 0.42 ms). The electron transport was also boosted (an increase of 2.1<span>\\(\\times \\)</span>10<sup>-3</sup> cm<sup>2</sup> V<sup>-1</sup> s<sup>-1</sup>). The theoretical calculations suggest that the structural modification of C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> affects the photocurrent due to the charge delocalization induced by the torsion of the triazine units. Besides, the photocurrent values achieved in this work were not expressive; the results pointed out that the association P3HT+C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> is promissory. The further optimization of these systems by heat treatment, type of solvent, and deposition method could lead to better results. Additionally, the theoretical results demonstrated that minor system modifications could improve the photocurrent values.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Graphical abstract</h3><p>The synergetic effect of the composite obtained between poly(3-hexylthiophene) and carbon nitride in the appropriate proportion leads to a 3-fold increase in photocurrent due to the improvement in the properties of the photogenerated excintons.</p>","PeriodicalId":665,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry","volume":"64 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-024-06054-7","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ELECTROCHEMISTRY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Once the efficiency of solar energy-converting devices depends on the population of the electron–hole pairs (excitons), one way of increasing the conversion efficiency of photoactive materials is using electron-accepting materials, which acts on the separation efficiency of these pairs by collecting the electrons. In such a way, carbon nitride (C3N4) has been studied as an electron acceptor. With simple synthesis and easy tailoring properties, this material becomes a promising candidate in organic photovoltaic cells. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the photocurrent as a function of exciton properties. Then, P3HT was obtained by redox polymerization and C3N4 by urea pyrolysis. Photoelectrochemical and spectroscopic measurements were performed to characterize the electrodes. In addition, theoretical calculations were carried out using TD-DFT. It was observed that a photocurrent 3-fold increased in relation to the pure P3HT film (from 12.1 up to 33.2 µA cm-2), attributed to the increase in the hole-electron separation efficiency, with an increase in their lifetime (from 0.18 to 0.42 ms). The electron transport was also boosted (an increase of 2.1\(\times \)10-3 cm2 V-1 s-1). The theoretical calculations suggest that the structural modification of C3N4 affects the photocurrent due to the charge delocalization induced by the torsion of the triazine units. Besides, the photocurrent values achieved in this work were not expressive; the results pointed out that the association P3HT+C3N4 is promissory. The further optimization of these systems by heat treatment, type of solvent, and deposition method could lead to better results. Additionally, the theoretical results demonstrated that minor system modifications could improve the photocurrent values.
Graphical abstract
The synergetic effect of the composite obtained between poly(3-hexylthiophene) and carbon nitride in the appropriate proportion leads to a 3-fold increase in photocurrent due to the improvement in the properties of the photogenerated excintons.
期刊介绍：
The Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry is devoted to all aspects of solid-state chemistry and solid-state physics in electrochemistry.
The Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry publishes papers on all aspects of electrochemistry of solid compounds, including experimental and theoretical, basic and applied work. It equally publishes papers on the thermodynamics and kinetics of electrochemical reactions if at least one actively participating phase is solid. Also of interest are articles on the transport of ions and electrons in solids whenever these processes are relevant to electrochemical reactions and on the use of solid-state electrochemical reactions in the analysis of solids and their surfaces.
The journal covers solid-state electrochemistry and focusses on the following fields: mechanisms of solid-state electrochemical reactions, semiconductor electrochemistry, electrochemical batteries, accumulators and fuel cells, electrochemical mineral leaching, galvanic metal plating, electrochemical potential memory devices, solid-state electrochemical sensors, ion and electron transport in solid materials and polymers, electrocatalysis, photoelectrochemistry, corrosion of solid materials, solid-state electroanalysis, electrochemical machining of materials, electrochromism and electrochromic devices, new electrochemical solid-state synthesis.
The Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry makes the professional in research and industry aware of this swift progress and its importance for future developments and success in the above-mentioned fields.
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