IP Library Granted Patent US 8,962,783
Granted Patent B2
US 8,962,783 · App. 13/190,650 · Granted Feb 24, 2015

Photovoltaic cell with silole-containing polymer

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,962,783
App. No.
13/190,650
Granted
Feb 24, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Photovoltaic cells with silole-containing polymers, as well as related systems, methods and components are disclosed.

Claims (29)

1. An article comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode; and

a photoactive material disposed between the first and second electrodes, in which the photoactive material comprises a polymer and a fullerene, wherein the polymer comprises a first comonomer repeat unit and a second comonomer repeat unit different from the first comonomer repeat unit;

wherein

the first comonomer repeat unit comprises a silacyclopentadithiophene moiety of formula (1):

in which each of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 , independently, is H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halo, CN, OR, C(O)R, C(O)OR, or SO 2 R; R being H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, or C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl;

the second comonomer repeat unit comprises a thiophene moiety substituted with C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halo, CN, OR′, C(O)R′, C(O)OR′, or SO 2 R′; or a thiophene moiety fused with a 1,4-dioxane moiety; R′ being H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, or C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl;

the fullerene is a substituted fullerene wherein the substituent is (OCH 2 CH 2 ) 2 CH 3 or OCH 2 CF 2 OCF 2 CF 2 OCF 3 ; and

the article is configured as a photovoltaic cell.

2. An article, comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode; and

a photoactive material disposed between the first and second electrodes, in which the photoactive material co rises a polymer and a fullerene, wherein the polymer comprises a first comonomer repeat unit and a second comonomer repeat unit different from the first comonomer repeat unit;

wherein

the first comonomer repeat unit comprises a silacyclopentadithiophene moiety of formula (1):

in which each of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 , independently, is H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halo, CN, OR, C(O)R, C(O)OR, or SO 2 R; R being H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, or C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl;

the second comonomer repeat unit is a substituted thiophene moiety;

the fullerene is a substituted fullerene wherein the substituent is (OCH 2 CH 2 ) 2 CH 3 or OCH 2 CF 2 OCF 2 CF 2 OCF 3 ; and

the article is a photovoltaic cell.

3. An article, comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode; and

a photoactive material disposed between the first and second electrodes, in which the photoactive material comprises a polymer and a fullerene, wherein the polymer comprises a first comonomer repeat unit and a second comonomer repeat unit different from the first comonomer repeat unit;

wherein

the first comonomer repeat unit comprises a silacyclopentadithiophene moiety of formula (1):

in which R 1 R 2 are C 1 -C 20 alkyl, R 3 and R 4 are H;

the second comonomer repeat unit comprises a thiophene moiety substituted with C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halo, CN, OR′, C(O)R′, C(O)OR′, or SO 2 R′; or a thiophene moiety fused with a 1,4-dioxane moiety; R′ being H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, aryl, heteroarvl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, or C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl;

the fullerene is a substituted fullerene wherein the substituent is (OCH 2 CH 2 ) 2 CH 3 or OCH 2 CF 2 OCF 2 CF 2 OCF 3 ; and the article is a photovoltaic cell.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2013
From: KONARKA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: MERCK KGAA
Reel/Frame 029717/0048 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2013
From: MERCK KGAA
To: MERCK PATENT GMBH
Reel/Frame 029717/0065 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 26, 2011
From: KONARKA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: TOTAL GAS & POWER USA (SAS)
Reel/Frame 027465/0192 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 27, 2011
From: GAUDIANA, RUSSELL; KINGSBOROUGH, RICHARD; SHI, XIAOBO; WALLER, DAVID; ZHU, ZHENGGUO
To: KONARKA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 026655/0781 →