Mechanically robust and stretchable organic solar cells plasticized by small-molecule acceptors.

Wang, Zhenye; Zhang, Di; Yang, Lvpeng; Allam, Omar; Gao, Yerun; Su, Yang; Xu, Meichen; Mo, Songmin et al. · Science · 2025

biomechanical · Level V

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Abstract

Emerging wearable devices would benefit from integrating ductile photovoltaic light-harvesting power sources. In this work, we report a small-molecule acceptor (SMA), also known as a non-fullerene acceptor (NFA), designed for stretchable organic solar cell (<i>s</i>-OSC) blends with large mechanical compliance and performance. Blends of the organosilane-functionalized SMA BTP-Si4 with the polymer donor PNTB6-Cl achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of >16% and ultimate strain (ε<sub>u</sub>) of >95%. Typical SMAs suppress OSC blend ductility, but the addition of BTP-Si4 enhances it. Although BTP-Si4 is less crystalline than other SMAs, it retains considerable electron mobility and is highly miscible with PNTB6-Cl and is essential for enhancing ε<sub>u</sub>. Thus, <i>s</i>-OSCs with PCE > 14% and operating normally under various deformations (>80% PCE retention under an 80% strain) were demonstrated. Analysis of several SMA-polymer blends revealed general molecular structure-miscibility-stretchability relationships for designing ductile blends.