Fullerene derivative acceptors for high performance polymer solar cells

Polymer solar cells (PSCs) are composed of a blend film of a conjugated polymer donor and a soluble fullerene derivative acceptor sandwiched between a PEDOT : PSS coated ITO positive electrode and a low workfunction metal negative electrode. The conjugated polymer donor and the fullerene derivative acceptor are the key photovoltaic materials for high performance PSCs. For the acceptors, although [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC60BM) and its corresponding C70 derivative PC70BM are dominantly used as the acceptors in PSC at present, several series of new fullerene derivatives with higher-lying LUMO energy level and better solubility were reported in recent years for further improving the power conversion efficiency of the PSCs. In this perspective paper, we reviewed the recent research progress on the new fullerene derivative acceptors, including various PC60BM-like C60 derivatives, PC60BM bisadduct, PC70BM bisadduct, indene-C60 bisadduct and indene-C70 bisadduct, trimetallic nitride endohedral fullerenes and other C60 derivatives with multi side chains. The synthesis and physicochemical properties of PC60BM and PC70BM were also introduced considering the importance of the two fullerene acceptors.