Simple hybrid dithiafulvenes-triphenylamine systems as dopant-free hole-transporting materials for efficient perovskite solar cells

Two extended hybrid conjugated systems based on a triphenylamine(TPA) core with two and three peripheral 1,4-dithiafulvenes(DTF) units coded WH-2 and WH-3 as hole-transporting materials(HTMs) applied in perovskite solar cells(PSCs) are synthesized by facile one-step reaction in good yield over 75%. DTF unit as electron donor can enhance the electron donating ability and the fusion of benzenic ring of TPA with DTF unit may lead to reinforced intermolecular interactions in the solid state. In addition,WH-2 and WH-3 exhibit a pyramid shape containing partial planarity and quasi three-dimensionality features, which is also conducive to enhancing the π-π stacking of molecules in the solid state. The above-mentioned structural characteristics make the two HTMs have good hole mobilities. As a result,WH-2 and WH-3 obtained the high intrinsic hole mobilities of 4.69 × 10^(-4)and 2.18 × 10^(-3)cm^(2)V^(-1)s^(-1)respectively. Finally, the power conversion efficiencies(PCEs) of PSCs with WH-2 and WH-3 as cost-effective dopant-free HTMs are 15.39% and 19.22% respectively and the PCE of PSC with WH-3 is on a par with that of PSC with Li-TFSI/t-BP doped Spiro-OMe TAD(19.67%).

Phenylfluorenamine-functionalized poly(N-vinylcarbazole)s as dopant-free polymer hole-transporting materials for inverted quasi-2D perovskite solar cells

In order to improve the efficiency and stability of inverted three-dimensional(3D) or quasi-2D perovskite solar cells(PSCs) for future commercialization, exploring high efficient dopant-free polymer holetransporting materials(HTMs) is still desired and meaningful. One simple and efficient way to achieve high performance dopant-free HTMs is to synthesize novel non-conjugated side-chain polymers via rational molecular design. In this work, N-(4-methoxyphenyl)-9,9-dimethyl-9H-fluoren-2-amine(FMeNPh) groups are introduced into the poly(N-vinylcarbazole)(PVK) side chains to afford two nonconjugated polymers PVCz-DFMeNPh and PVCz-FMeNPh as dopant-free HTMs in inverted quasi-2D PSCs. Benefited from the flexible properties of polyethylene backbone and excellent optoelectronic natures of FMeNPh side-chain groups, PVCz-DFMeNPh with more FMeNPh units exhibited excellent thermal stability, well-matched energy levels and improved charge mobility as compared to PTAA and PVCzFMeNPh. Moreover, the morphologies investigation of quasi-2D perovskite on PVCz-DFMeNPh shows more compact and homogeneous perovskite films than those on PTAA and PVCz-FMeNPh. As a result,the dopant-free PVCz-DFMeNPh based inverted quasi-2D PSCs deliver power conversion efficiency(PCE) up to 18.44% as well as negligible hysteresis and favorable long-term stability, which represents as excellent performance reported to date for inverted quasi-2D PSCs. The results demonstrate the great potentials of constructing non-conjugated side-chain polymer HTMs based on phenylfluorenamine-func tionalized PVK for the development of high efficient and stable inverted 3D or quasi-2D PSCs.

Truxene-based Hole-transporting Materials for Perovskite Solar Cells

Three star-shaped truxene-based small molecules（namely TXH,TXM,TXO） were synthesized,characterized and used as hole-transporting materials（HTMs） for perovskite solar cells（Pv SCs）. The device based on TXO delivered a respectable power conversion efficiency（PCE） of 7.89% and a high open-circuit voltage（Voc） of 0.97 V,which far exceeded the values of the devices based on other two small molecules. The highest PCE for the device based on TXO is mainly contributed from its lowest series resistance（Rs） value and largest short-circuit current（Jsc） value under the same circumstances. All these results indicate that TXO is a promising HTM candidate for Pv SCs.

The donor-dependent methoxy effects on the performance of hole-transporting materials for perovskite solar cells

In this work, a comprehensive study on the deliberate molecular design and modifications of electron donors is carried out to elucidate correlations between the methoxy effects and donor configuration of hole-transporting materials(HTMs). Our initial findings demonstrate the donor-dependent methoxy effects. Photovoltaic performance of the HTM with twisted donor highly depends on the methoxy substituent. In contrast, efficiency’s reliance on methoxy is insignificant for the HTM with planar donor. The HTM(M123) featuring the methoxy–substituted carbazole shows a decent power conversion efficiency of 19.33% due to synergistic effects from both planar structure and methoxy. This work gives a guideline to access HTMs reaching both high-performance and good stability.

Synthesis and Characteristics of Hole-transporting Materials Based on Biphenyl Diamine Derivatives with Carbazole Groups

Two hole-transporting materials containing carbazole moieties with TPD- and NPB-like structures, 4,4′-bis [ N- （4-carbazolylphenyl） -N-phenylamino ] biphenyl （ CPB ） and 4,4′-bis [ N- （ 4-carbazolylphenyl ） -N- （ 1-naphthyl ） amino] biphenyl（ CNB）, were synthesized via a modified Ullmann reaction. The resulting compounds were thermally stable with high glass transition temperatures ranging from 145 to 147 ℃ and possessed a good electrochemical reversibility and hole-transporting properties. Typical double-layer device evaluation with the structure ITO/CPB（40 nm）/ Alq3 （60 nm）/LiF/Al demonstrated that they were promising hole-transporting materials with a current efficiency of 5.25 cd/A and a power efficiency of 2.00 lm/W.

Application of phenonaphthazine derivatives as hole-transporting materials for perovskite solar cells

Two electron-rich, solution-processable phenonaphthazine derivatives, 5,12-bis(N-[4,4'-bis-(phenyl) aminophen-4 ''-yl]}-phenonaphthazine (BPZTPA) and 5,12-bis{N-[4,4'-bis(methoxy-phenyl)aminophen-4'-phenonaphthazine (MeO-BPZTPA) have been designed and employed in the fabrication of perovskite solar cells. BPZTPA and MeO-BPZTPA exhibit excellent thermal stabilities, hole mobilities (similar to 10(-4) cm(2)/(V.s)) and suitable HOMO levels (-5.34 and-5.29 eV, respectively) relative to the valence band of the CH3NH3PbI3 and Au work function, showing their potential as alternative hole-transporting materials (HTMs). Meanwhile, the corresponding mesoporous TiO2/CH3NH3PbI3/HTM/Au devices are investigated, and the best power conversion efficiency of 10.36% has been achieved for MeO-BPZTPA without using p-type dopant. (C) 2016 Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press. All rights reserved.

Review of current progress in hole-transporting materials for perovskite solar cells

Recent advancements in perovskites’ application as a solar energy harvester have been astonishing. The power conversion efficiency(PCE) of perovskite solar cells(PSCs) is currently reaching parity(>25 percent), an accomplishment attained over past decades. PSCs are seen as perovskites sandwiched between an electron transporting material(ETM) and a hole transporting material(HTM). As a primary component of PSCs, HTM has been shown to have a considerable effect on solar energy harvesting, carrier extraction and transport, crystallization of perovskite, stability, and price. In PSCs, it is still necessary to use a HTM.While perovskites are capable of conducting holes, they are present in trace amounts, necessitating the use of an HTM layer for efficient charge extraction. In this review, we provide an understanding of the significant forms of HTM accessible(inorganic, polymeric and small molecule-based HTMs), to motivate further research and development of such materials. The identification of additional criteria suggests a significant challenge to high stability and affordability in PSC.

Progress in hole-transporting materials for perovskite solar cells

In recent years the photovoltaic community has witnessed the unprecedented development of perovskite solar cells（PSCs） as they have taken the lead in emergent photovoltaic technologies. The power conversion efficiency of this new class of solar cells has been increased to a point where they are beginning to compete with more established technologies. Although PSCs have evolved a variety of structures, the use of hole-transporting materials（HTMs） remains indispensable. Here, an overview of the various types of available HTMs is presented. This includes organic and inorganic HTMs and is presented alongside recent progress in associated aspects of PSCs, including device architectures and fabrication techniques to produce high-quality perovskite films. The structure, electrochemistry, and physical properties of a variety of HTMs are discussed, highlighting considerations for those designing new HTMs. Finally, an outlook is presented to provide more concrete direction for the development and optimization of HTMs for highefficiency PSCs.

Stable Methylammonium-Free p-i-n Perovskite Solar Cells and Mini-Modules with Phenothiazine Dimers as Hole-Transporting Materials

During the last decade,perovskite solar technologies underwent an impressive development,with power conversion efficiencies reaching 25.5%for single-junction devices and 29.8%for Silicon-Perovskite tandem configurations.Even though research mainly focused on improving the efficiency of perovskite photovoltaics(PV),stability and scalability remain fundamental aspects of a mature photovoltaics technology.For n-i-p structure perovskite solar cells,using poly-triaryl(amine)(PTAA)as hole transport layer(HTL)allowed to achieve marked improvements in device stability compared with other common hole conductors.For p-i-n structure,poly-triaryl(amine)is also routinely used as dopant-free hole transport layer,but problems in perovskite film growth,and its limited resistance to stress and imperfect batch-to-batch reproducibility,hamper its use for device upscaling.Following previous computational investigations,in this work,we report the synthesis of two small-molecule organic hole transport layers(BPT-1,2),aiming to solve the above-mentioned issues and allow upscale to the module level.By using BPT-1 and methylammonium-free perovskite,max.Power conversion efficiencies of 17.26%and 15.42%on a small area(0.09 cm^(2))and mini-module size(2.25 cm^(2)),respectively,were obtained,with a better reproducibility than with poly-triaryl(amine).Moreover,BPT-1 was demonstrated to yield more stable devices compared with poly-triaryl(amine)under ISOS-D1,T1,and L1 accelerated life-test protocols,reaching maximum T_(90)values>1000 h on all tests.

Increasing open circuit voltage by adjusting work function of hole-transporting materials in perovskite solar cells

A series of conductive polymers, i.e., poly（3-methylthiophene） （PMT）, poly（thiophene） （PT）, poly（3-bromothiophene） （PBT） and poly（3-chlorothiophene） （PCT）, were prepared via the electrochemical polymerization process. Subse- quently, their application as hole-transporting materials （HTMs） in CHBNI-I3Pb｜3 perovskite solar cells was explored. It was found that rationally increasing the work function of HTMs proves beneficial in improving the open circuit voltage （Voc） of the devices with an ITO/conductive-polymer/CHBNHBPbIg/C60/BCP/Ag structure. In addition, the higher-Voc devices with a higher-work-function HTM exhibited higher recombination resistances. The highest open circuit voltage of 1.04 V was obtained from devices with PCT, with a work function of -5.4 eV, as the hole-transporting layer. Its power conversion efficiency attained a value of approximately 16.5%, with a high fill factor of 0.764, an appreciable open voltage of 1.01 V and a short circuit current density of 21.4 mA.cm-2. This simple, controllable and low-cost manner of preparing HTMs will be beneficial to the production of large-area perovskite solar cells with a hole-transportin~ laver.

Recent progress in organic hole-transporting materials with 4-anisylamino-based end caps for efficient perovskite solar cells

Perovskite solar cells(PVSCs)have emerged as a promising photovoltaic technology and have attracted wide research interest due to their outstanding photovoltaic performance,low cost,and the ability to fabricate largearea devices.An impressive certified power conversion efficiency(PCE)of 25.2%has been achieved,demonstrating the excellent potential of PVSCs for future applications.Hole-transporting materials play a key role in improving the device performance of PVSCs by facilitating the extraction of photogenerated holes and their transport from the perovskite layer to the anode.This review provides a brief introduction to PVSCs and summarizes the recent progress in small molecule hole-transporting materials(SM-HTMs)bearing various cores and different4-anisylamino-based end caps.We classify the end caps into N,N-di-4-anisylamino(DAA),4-(N,N-di-4-anisylamino)benzo(DAB),and N3,N6(or N2,N7)-bis(di-4-anisylamino)-9 H-carbazole(3,6-DAC or 2,7-DAC)groups.We also review the core type,end cap position and number,how these affect the overall properties of the SM-HTMs,and the resultant PVSC device performances.Finally,the challenges and perspectives for the future development of SM-HTMs are presented.

Synthesis and properties of novel hole-transporting materials with triphenylamine units

Two novel organic hole-transporting materials have been synthesized by combination of triphenylamines（TPA） viaπ-conjugated bonds using Wittig reaction.The structures were characterized by NMR,FT-IR and HRMS.The optical,electrochemical and thermal properties of the materials were studied in detail.The results show that these two compounds have blue emission,proper HOMO levels and high thermal stability.Furthermore,a quantum chemical calculation on electron distribution of the two compounds was performed, which suggests the current synthesized materials would be promising candidates for hole-transporting materials.

High‑Entropy Electrode Materials:Synthesis,Properties and Outlook

High-entropy materials represent a new category of high-performance materials,first proposed in 2004 and extensively investigated by researchers over the past two decades.The definition of high-entropy materials has continuously evolved.In the last ten years,the discovery of an increasing number of high-entropy materials has led to significant advancements in their utilization in energy storage,electrocatalysis,and related domains,accompanied by a rise in techniques for fabricating high-entropy electrode materials.Recently,the research emphasis has shifted from solely improving the performance of high-entropy materials toward exploring their reaction mechanisms and adopting cleaner preparation approaches.However,the current definition of high-entropy materials remains relatively vague,and the preparation method of high-entropy materials is based on the preparation method of single metal/low-or medium-entropy materials.It should be noted that not all methods applicable to single metal/low-or medium-entropy materials can be directly applied to high-entropy materials.In this review,the definition and development of high-entropy materials are briefly reviewed.Subsequently,the classification of high-entropy electrode materials is presented,followed by a discussion of their applications in energy storage and catalysis from the perspective of synthesis methods.Finally,an evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of various synthesis methods in the production process of different high-entropy materials is provided,along with a proposal for potential future development directions for high-entropy materials.

Chlorine-Substituent Regulation in Dopant-Free Small-Molecule Hole-Transport Materials Improves the Effi ciency and Stability of Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells

Although doped hole-transport materials(HTMs)off er an effi ciency benefi t for perovskite solar cells(PSCs),they inevi-tably diminish the stability.Here,we describe the use of various chlorinated small molecules,specifi cally fl uorenone-triphenylamine(FO-TPA)-x-Cl[x=para,meta,and ortho(p,m,and o)],with diff erent chlorine-substituent positions,as dopant-free HTMs for PSCs.These chlorinated molecules feature a symmetrical donor-acceptor-donor structure and ideal intramolecular charge transfer properties,allowing for self-doping and the establishment of built-in potentials for improving charge extraction.Highly effi cient hole-transfer interfaces are constructed between perovskites and these HTMs by strategi-cally modifying the chlorine substitution.Thus,the chlorinated HTM-derived inverted PSCs exhibited superior effi ciencies and air stabilities.Importantly,the dopant-free HTM FO-TPA-o-Cl not only attains a power conversion effi ciency of 20.82% but also demonstrates exceptional stability,retaining 93.8%of its initial effi ciency even after a 30-day aging test conducted under ambient air conditions in PSCs without encapsulation.These fi ndings underscore the critical role of chlorine-substituent regulation in HTMs in ensuring the formation and maintenance of effi cient and stable PSCs.

Advanced Functional Electromagnetic Shielding Materials:A Review Based on Micro‑Nano Structure Interface Control of Biomass Cell Walls

Research efforts on electromagnetic interference(EMI)shielding materials have begun to converge on green and sustainable biomass materials.These materials offer numerous advantages such as being lightweight,porous,and hierarchical.Due to their porous nature,interfacial compatibility,and electrical conductivity,biomass materials hold significant potential as EMI shielding materials.Despite concerted efforts on the EMI shielding of biomass materials have been reported,this research area is still relatively new compared to traditional EMI shielding materials.In particular,a more comprehensive study and summary of the factors influencing biomass EMI shielding materials including the pore structure adjustment,preparation process,and micro-control would be valuable.The preparation methods and characteristics of wood,bamboo,cellulose and lignin in EMI shielding field are critically discussed in this paper,and similar biomass EMI materials are summarized and analyzed.The composite methods and fillers of various biomass materials were reviewed.this paper also highlights the mechanism of EMI shielding as well as existing prospects and challenges for development trends in this field.

Defect Engineering:Can it Mitigate Strong Coulomb Effect of Mg^(2+)in Cathode Materials for Rechargeable Magnesium Batteries?

Rechargeable magnesium batteries(RMBs)have been considered a promising“post lithium-ion battery”system to meet the rapidly increasing demand of the emerging electric vehicle and grid energy storage market.However,the sluggish diffusion kinetics of bivalent Mg^(2+)in the host material,related to the strong Coulomb effect between Mg^(2+)and host anion lattices,hinders their further development toward practical applications.Defect engineering,regarded as an effective strategy to break through the slow migration puzzle,has been validated in various cathode materials for RMBs.In this review,we first thoroughly understand the intrinsic mechanism of Mg^(2+)diffusion in cathode materials,from which the key factors affecting ion diffusion are further presented.Then,the positive effects of purposely introduced defects,including vacancy and doping,and the corresponding strategies for introducing various defects are discussed.The applications of defect engineering in cathode materials for RMBs with advanced electrochemical properties are also summarized.Finally,the existing challenges and future perspectives of defect engineering in cathode materials for the overall high-performance RMBs are described.

New advances in small molecule hole-transporting materials for perovskite solar cells

Organic π-functional molecules are the foundation and basic component of organic optoelectronic devices.For example,for ideal carrier transporting materials,extended π-conjugation and ordered π-πstacking are necessary to enhance the charge mobility and achieve desirable results.As a promising way to convert sunlight into electricity,organometal halide perovskite solar cells（PSCs） have captured a lot of attention due to its predominant merits especially in the aspect of remarkable photovoltaic performance and much potentially low production cost.For conventional planar PSC structure,hole-transporting layer which typically consists of organic π-functional materials plays a key role in suppressing holeelectron pair recombination,promoting charge transporting and ensuring ohmic contact of back electrode.Considering the key roles of HTMs and its soaring progress in recent years,here,we will summarize recent progress in small organic π-functional materials from its diverse functions in PSCs.Besides,aiming to further promote the development of organic π-functional molecules and HTMs,a promising direction toward highly efficient HTMs will also be discussed.

Transition metal oxides as hole-transporting materials in organic semiconductor and hybrid perovskite based solar cells

Organic polymer solar cells （OSCs） and organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells （PSCs） have achieved notable progress over the past several years. A central topic in these fields is exploring electronically efficient, stable and effective hole-transporting layer （HTL） materials. The goal is to enhance hole-collection ability, reduce charge recombination, increase built-in voltage, and hence improve the performance as well as the device stability. Transition metal oxides （TMOs） semiconductors such as NiOx, CuOx, CrOx, MoOx, WO3, and V2O5, have been widely used as HTLs in OSCs. These TMOs are naturally adopted into PSC as HTLs and shows their importance. There are similarities, and also differences in applying TMOs in these two types of main solution processed solar cells. This concise review is on the recent developments of transition metal oxide HTL in OSCs and PSCs. The paper starts from the discussion of the cation valence and electronic structure of the transition metal oxide materials, followed by analyzing the structure-property relationships of these HTLs, which we attempt to give a systematic introduction about the influences of their cation valence, electronic structure, work ftmction and film property on device performance.

Recent progress of dopant-free organic hole-transporting materials in perovskite solar cells

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells have undergone especially intense research and transformation over the past seven years due to their enormous progress in conversion efficiencies.In this perspective,we review the latest developments of conventional perovskite solar cells with a main focus on dopant-free organic hole transporting materials（HTMs）.Regarding the rapid progress of perovskite solar cells,stability of devices using dopant-free HTMs are also discussed to help readers understand the challenges and opportunities in high performance and stable perovskite solar cells.

Sulfonyldibenzene-based hole-transporting materials for efficient n-i-p perovskite solar cells

Organic hole-transporting materials(HTMs)are an essential component in conventional perovskite solar cells(PSCs).In this work,two sulfonyldibenzene-based molecules,named CS-04 and CS-05,are synthesized and employed as HTMs in n-i-p PSCs.In comparison with CS-04,the carbazole-substituted methoxytriphenylamine(Cz MOTPA)group in CS-05 exhibits an increased degree of molecular distortion,thus endowing CS-05 with excellent solvent solubility and film-formation ability.Moreover,CS-05 shows a high hole mobility,superior hole extraction and hole transporting properties.As a result,CS-05 yields impressive device performances with a high power conversion efficiency(PCE)of 20.15%,while that of CS-04 based device is 19.50%,which is comparable to that of the Spiro-OMe TAD based control device(19.59%).This finding illustrates the potential of sulfonyldibenzene-based molecules for the applications in PSCs,and also provides a novel avenue to improve the performances and stability of PSCs by tailoring the sulfonyldibenzene-based molecules.