Highly Efficient Acceptors with a Nonaromatic Thianthrene Central Core for Organic Photovoltaics

Z Zheng Xu X Xiangjian Cao (State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento‐Organic Chemistry The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST) College of Chemistry Nankai University Tianjin 300071 China) Z Zhaoyang Yao (State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, College of Chemistry) W Wenkai Zhao (Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Lab for Rare Earth Materials and Applications, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), School of Materials Science and Engineering, National Institute for Advanced Materials) W Wendi Shi (State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST)) X Xingqi Bi (State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento‐Organic Chemistry The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST) College of Chemistry Nankai University Tianjin 300071 China) Y Yu Li Y Yaxiao Guo (State Key Laboratory of Advanced Separation Membrane Materials School of Chemistry Tiangong University Tianjin China) G Guanghui Li G Guankui Long (Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Lab for Rare Earth Materials and Applications, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), School of Materials Science and Engineering, National Institute for Advanced Materials) X Xiangjian Wan (State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, College of Chemistry) C Chenxi Li (State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, College of Chemistry) Y Yongsheng Chen (Department of Neurosurgery The Tenth Affiliated Hospital Southern Medical University Dongguan China)

Abstract

Abstract Despite the great role in determining molecular packings and organic photovoltaic outcomes, very rare candidates could be employed as central cores in current high‐performance acceptors except diimide‐based moieties. Herein, a new type of central core of nonaromatic thianthrene is explored firstly, affording an exotic but structurally tailorable molecular platform for acceptor design. A unique puckered rather than planar conformation of central core is adopted, caused by the 4n πe − feature, great ring strain and largely the insufficient p–π orbital overlap of lone pair on sulfur of thianthrene and coterminous benzene planes. As a result, the absorption of thianthrene‐based acceptors (CS1, CS2, and CS3) shows unexpected blue shift comparing to the phenazine‐based counterpart (CH20), regardless of the intrinsically strong electron‐donating characteristic of low valence sulfur atoms. Even so, the desired molecular packing and fibrillary film morphology, assisted by the suitable chlorination on thianthrene, still contribute to the best device efficiency of 19.0% based on D18:CS2 blends. Such novel work renders an underdeveloped NFA platform with the potentials for achieving PCE of over 20%.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 64, Issue 22
Published May 26, 2025
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (13)

Z

Zheng Xu

X

Xiangjian Cao

State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento‐Organic Chemistry The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST) College of Chemistry Nankai University Tianjin 300071 China

Z

Zhaoyang Yao

State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, College of Chemistry

W

Wenkai Zhao

Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Lab for Rare Earth Materials and Applications, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), School of Materials Science and Engineering, National Institute for Advanced Materials

W

Wendi Shi

State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST)

X

Xingqi Bi

State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento‐Organic Chemistry The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST) College of Chemistry Nankai University Tianjin 300071 China

Y

Yu Li

Y

Yaxiao Guo

State Key Laboratory of Advanced Separation Membrane Materials School of Chemistry Tiangong University Tianjin China

G

Guanghui Li

G

Guankui Long

Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Lab for Rare Earth Materials and Applications, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), School of Materials Science and Engineering, National Institute for Advanced Materials

X

Xiangjian Wan

State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, College of Chemistry

C

Chenxi Li

State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, The Centre of Nanoscale Science and Technology and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST), Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, College of Chemistry

Y

Yongsheng Chen

Department of Neurosurgery The Tenth Affiliated Hospital Southern Medical University Dongguan China