Enhancing fullerene-based solar cell lifetimes by addition of a fullerene dumbbell.

Cost-effective, solution-processable organic photovoltaics (OPV) present an interesting alternative to inorganic silicon-based solar cells. However, one of the major remaining challenges of OPV devices is their lack of long-term operational stability, especially at elevated temperatures. The synthesis of a fullerene dumbbell and its use as an additive in the active layer of a PCDTBT:PCBM-based OPV device is reported.

Conformational locking for band gap control in 3,4-propylenedioxythiophene based electrochromic polymers.

We report a tethered poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene) derivative with a built-in polymer conformation restriction which locks the conjugated chain at a specific dihedral angle, thus providing a handle in which to tune the optical and electronic properties of the material.