Unsaturated Vinyl Branching: A Molecular‐Tailoring Strategy for Synergistic Stacking Regulation and Energy‐Loss Suppression Toward 20%‐Efficiency Organic Solar Cells

L Ling Li W Wenzhao Xiong (State Key Laboratory of Advanced Fibers and Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering Donghua University Shanghai 201620 P. R. China) Y Yanyan Zhang (Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Aqueous Battery Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Electron Microscope Center of Fudan University, Shanghai Wusong Laboratory of Materials Science, and Faculty of Chemistry and Materials) Z Zhibo Wang J Junyin Dong (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Function Hub Advanced Materials Thrust Guangzhou China) S Shenbo Zhu (State Key Laboratory of Advanced Fiber Materials College of Materials Science and Engineering Donghua University Shanghai 201620 China) X Xueming Li M Mengxing Hu (Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Electrochemistry, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Electrochemical and Magneto‐chemical Functional Materials, College of Chemistry and Bioengineering Guilin University of Technology Guilin Guangxi 541006 P.R. China) J Jiaying Wu H Huawei Hu (State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering) J Jiefeng Hai (Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Electrochemistry, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Electrochemical and Magneto‐chemical Functional Materials, College of Chemistry and Bioengineering Guilin University of Technology Guilin Guangxi 541006 P.R. China)

Abstract

ABSTRACT The performance of organic solar cells (OSCs) is critically constrained by energy losses arising from disordered molecular packing and suboptimal blend morphology in non‐fullerene acceptor (NFA) systems. Achieving precise control over NFA aggregation during film formation is thus essential to realize optimal molecular orientation and phase separation. Herein, we propose an unsaturated vinyl branching (UVB) strategy that enables synergistic morphology control through the concurrent minimization of steric hindrance and enhancement of non‐covalent interactions. By incorporating UVB units into the inner side chains of the Y6‐OD backbone, we create a novel acceptor, BTP‐vinyl, which demonstrates optimized aggregation kinetics and facilitates compact 3D molecular packing. When blended with polymer donor D18, the BTP‐vinyl‐based system exhibits retarded crystallization, optimized domain size, and highly ordered face‐on orientation, collectively promoting efficient exciton dissociation and charge transport. Consequently, OSCs based on BTP‐vinyl display significantly reduced energetic disorder and suppressed non‐radiative energy loss compared to Y6‐OD‐based devices. The binary devices achieve a remarkable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.6%, substantially outperforming the Y6‐OD‐based devices (18.1%). Furthermore, ternary devices incorporating L8‐BO attain a champion PCE of 20.06%, crossing the significant 20% threshold. This work establishes UVB as an effective molecular‐design paradigm for achieving ideal blend morphology through precise aggregation control in high‐performance OSCs.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 38, Issue 10
Published February 01, 2026
ISSN 0935-9648
Publisher Unknown Publisher

Journal Info

Advanced Materials

Unknown Publisher

ISSN: 0935-9648 Physical Sciences

Authors (11)

L

Ling Li

W

Wenzhao Xiong

State Key Laboratory of Advanced Fibers and Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering Donghua University Shanghai 201620 P. R. China

Y

Yanyan Zhang

Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Aqueous Battery Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Electron Microscope Center of Fudan University, Shanghai Wusong Laboratory of Materials Science, and Faculty of Chemistry and Materials

Z

Zhibo Wang

J

Junyin Dong

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Function Hub Advanced Materials Thrust Guangzhou China

S

Shenbo Zhu

State Key Laboratory of Advanced Fiber Materials College of Materials Science and Engineering Donghua University Shanghai 201620 China

X

Xueming Li

M

Mengxing Hu

Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Electrochemistry, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Electrochemical and Magneto‐chemical Functional Materials, College of Chemistry and Bioengineering Guilin University of Technology Guilin Guangxi 541006 P.R. China

J

Jiaying Wu

H

Huawei Hu

State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering

J

Jiefeng Hai

Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Electrochemistry, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Electrochemical and Magneto‐chemical Functional Materials, College of Chemistry and Bioengineering Guilin University of Technology Guilin Guangxi 541006 P.R. China