Influence of the nanoscale morphology on the photovoltaic properties of fullerene/MEH-PPV composites

The relation between morphology and photoelectric properties of PPV derivatives/fullerene composites forming bulk heterojunction solar cells has been investigated. The solvent used to spin cast the photoactive layers has a main influence on the quenching of the MEH-PPV fluorescence, which could be attributed to different dispersion abilities of C-60 in the polymer layer shown by AFM microscopy. Formation of large fullerene aggregates is observed at fullerene concentrations of the order of 10% leading to phase separation for composite layers processed in THF, whereas more dispersed distributions of fullerenes are observed in an aromatic solvent like ODCB which accounts for a more efficient luminescence quenching with increasing filler concentrations. However the improvement of the dissociation of photogenerated charge pairs is counterbalanced by a less efficient charge transport in the composite shown by lower short circuit currents probably due to unfavorable polymer chain arrangement in ODCB. Thin film processing conditions have been modified by the preparation of blends of solutions of the polymer in THF and fullerene in ODCB. The resulting spin casted layers show improved morphologies implying better dispersion of the fullerenes and increased short circuit currents. The improvement of the photovoltaic properties of the MEH-PPV/C-60 composites has been attributed to the nanosized fullerene domains formed upon phase separation.