# 4-Iodobenzonitrile as Effective Solid Additive for High-Efficiency Polymer Solar Cells

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a new solid additive for polymer solar cells that improves their efficiency by enhancing material interactions and crystallization.

## Contribution

The study introduces 4-iodobenzonitrile (IBZN), a structurally simple molecule with a large dipole moment, as an effective solid additive for polymer solar cells.

## Key findings

- IBZN improves the fill factor to 79.54% and boosts power conversion efficiency from 17.49% to 18.77%.
- IBZN shows regulatory effects in systems with other Y-series acceptors like Y6 and BTP-ec9.
- Theoretical and experimental evidence confirms IBZN's strong interactions with active materials.

## Abstract

Solid additive engineering is a well-established and effective strategy for enhancing active layer morphology in polymer solar cells (PSCs), thereby improving their power conversion efficiency (PCE). However, the availability of effective solid additive molecules remains limited, especially those combining simple structural units with a large dipole moment to promote strong interactions with active materials. In this study, we introduce 4-iodobenzonitrile (IBZN), a commercially available, low-cost, and structurally simple molecule with a high dipole moment (3.33 debye), as a solid additive for PSCs. Theoretical calculations, ultraviolet–visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy experiments, and a morphology analysis demonstrate that IBZN forms strong interactions with L8-BO, subsequently enhancing the packing mode and crystallization. The incorporation of IBZN into PM6:L8-BO-based PSCs resulted in an increased fill factor (FF) of 79.54% and a boosted PCE from 17.49% to 18.77%. Furthermore, IBZN has also demonstrated outstanding regulatory effects in systems based on other Y-series acceptors, such as Y6 and BTP-ec9. This study not only introduces a structurally simple solid additive molecule characterized by a large dipole moment but also offers valuable insights for the subsequent development of novel solid additives aimed at enhancing the morphology and efficiency of PSCs.