绝缘聚合物在有机太阳能电池中的应用研究进展

doi:10.1016/j.actphy.2026.100260

物理化学学报

绝缘聚合物在有机太阳能电池中的应用研究进展

张天宇^1,2, 李世麟³, 赵元伟², 汤继桂², 陈亚莉², 王泽², 边鑫³, 张渊³, 张弘², 刘红军¹, 周惠琼²

1 天津理工大学功能晶体研究院，天津市功能晶体材料重点实验室，晶体材料全国重点实验室，天津300384;
2 国家纳米科学中心，中国科学院纳米系统与多级次制造重点实验室，中国科学院纳米科学卓越创新中心，北京 100190;
3 北京航空航天大学化学学院，生物医学工程高精尖创新中心，北京 100191

收稿日期:2025-12-30 修回日期:2026-01-29 录用日期:2026-02-25
通讯作者: 刘红军, 周惠琼, 张弘 E-mail:hjliu@email.tjut.edu.cn;zhouhq@nanoctr.cn;zhanghong@nanoctr.cn
基金资助:
国家重点研发计划(2022YFB3805203)、国家自然科学基金(52273245, 52172151)、中科院-澳大利亚联邦科工组织联合项目(163GJHZ2022030MI)、中国科学院战略性先导科技专项(XDB0770000)、中科院-韩国科学技术研究理事会联合研究项目(163GJHZ2023017MI)及河南省中科科技成果转移转化中心(2024139)资助

Progress of the application of insulating polymers in organic solar cells

Tianyu Zhang^1,2, Shilin Li³, Yuanwei Zhao², Jigui Tang², Yali Chen², Ze Wang², Xin Bian³, Yuan Zhang³, Hong Zhang², Hongjun Liu¹, Huiqiong Zhou²

1 State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Crystal Materials, Institute of Functional Crystals, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China;
2 CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, China;
3 School of Chemistry, Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China

Received:2025-12-30 Revised:2026-01-29 Accepted:2026-02-25
Contact: Hongjun Liu, Huiqiong Zhou, Hong Zhang E-mail:hjliu@email.tjut.edu.cn;zhouhq@nanoctr.cn;zhanghong@nanoctr.cn

摘要/Abstract

摘要： 有机太阳能电池因具备质轻、可柔性、半透明及可溶液加工的优势，被认为是最具发展前景的光伏技术之一。近年来，低成本的绝缘聚合物作为第三组分或改性添加剂被广泛引入有机太阳能电池体系，用以调控活性层形貌、延长激子扩散长度并提升器件稳定性。本文综述了近期报道的绝缘聚合物改性相关研究，深入分析了绝缘聚合物对活性层形貌的调控作用，包括其自组装行为、分子量(^M_w)、玻璃化转变温度(^T_g)及相分离结构等方面的影响；探讨了绝缘聚合物在激子扩散、电荷传输和器件稳定性提升中的作用机制；同时简要阐述了绝缘聚合物的分子结构设计与其功能之间的关联。绝缘聚合物在有机太阳能电池中的应用，为优化器件光电转换效率、提升器件稳定性开辟了新途径，也为其未来大规模工业化生产提供了潜在技术方案。

关键词: 绝缘聚合物, 有机太阳能电池, 形貌, 稳定性, 分子结构

Abstract: Organic solar cells (OSCs) are regarded as promising next-generation photovoltaic technologies, featuring light weight, flexibility, and compatibility with low-cost large-area solution processing. However, their large-scale commercialization is constrained by intrinsic drawbacks, including inferior power conversion efficiency (PCE) relative to inorganic counterparts, inadequate long-term operational stability under thermal and photoirradiation stress, and the challenge of reproducibly controlling and optimizing the nanoscale morphology of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) active layers—issues rooted in short exciton diffusion lengths, inefficient charge transport, and unregulated phase separation. Recently, the incorporation of low-cost insulating polymers as a third component or processing additive has emerged as a facile yet effective strategy to address these bottlenecks. This review summarizes the latest advances in insulating polymer-modified OSCs (I-OSCs), focusing on their multifaceted regulatory effects. Specifically, insulating polymers modulate BHJ morphology by tailoring the self-assembly and molecular packing of donors and acceptors; their molecular weight (M_w) and glass transition temperature (T_g) critically govern blend dynamics and final nanostructures, refining phase-separated domain sizes to form an ideal bicontinuous network. The review further elucidates the underlying mechanisms of performance enhancement: reducing non-radiative recombination to extend exciton diffusion lengths, optimizing charge transport pathways and mitigating traps, and enhancing thermal/photochemical stability by immobilizing the optimal morphology and suppressing molecular diffusion/aggregation. It also correlates the molecular structure design of insulating polymers (e.g., backbone rigidity, side-chain architecture, functional groups) with their functionalities in OSC blends. In conclusion, rationally selected insulating polymers act as multifunctional morphology regulators rather than passive fillers, synergistically optimizing nanoscale structures for efficient light harvesting and charge generation/collection while reinforcing film mechanical and morphological robustness. This low-cost approach overcomes the traditional efficiency-stability trade-off, offering an economically viable route to accelerate the industrialization and practical application of OSCs.

Key words: Insulating polymer, Organic solar cells, Morphology, Stability, Molecular structure

张天宇, 李世麟, 赵元伟, 汤继桂, 陈亚莉, 王泽, 边鑫, 张渊, 张弘, 刘红军, 周惠琼. 绝缘聚合物在有机太阳能电池中的应用研究进展[J]. 物理化学学报 2026, (), 100260. doi: 10.1016/j.actphy.2026.100260

Tianyu Zhang, Shilin Li, Yuanwei Zhao, Jigui Tang, Yali Chen, Ze Wang, Xin Bian, Yuan Zhang, Hong Zhang, Hongjun Liu, Huiqiong Zhou. Progress of the application of insulating polymers in organic solar cells[J]. Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. 2026, (), 100260. doi: 10.1016/j.actphy.2026.100260

链接本文: https://www.whxb.pku.edu.cn/CN/10.1016/j.actphy.2026.100260

https://www.whxb.pku.edu.cn/CN/Y2026/V/I/100260

参考文献

[1] Ç. Çetinkaya, E. Çokduygulular, B. Kınacı, S. Emik, N.A. Sönmez, S. Özçelik, Sci. Rep. 12 (2022) 19400. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24113-9.
[2] Q. Fatima, A.A. Haidry, R. Hussain, H. Zhang, Energy Fuels 37 (2023) 7411. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.3c00645.
[3] S. Kim, M. Patel, S.-M. Youn, Y. Kim, K. Lee, J. Kim, Mater. Today Energy 31 (2023) 101203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtener.2022.101203.
[4] S. Li, Z. Li, X. Wan, Y. Chen, eScience 3 (2023) 100085. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esci.2022.10.010.
[5] Y. Li, X. Huang, H.K.M. Sheriff, S.R. Forrest, Nat. Rev. Mater. 8 (2023) 186. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-022-00514-0.
[6] M. Riede, D. Spoltore, K. Leo, Adv. Energy Mater. 11 (2021) 2002653. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202002653.
[7] N. Skandalos, V. Kapsalis, T. Ma, D. Karamanis, Solar 3 (2023) 434. https://doi.org/10.3390/solar3030024.
[8] F. Werlinger, C. Segura, J. Martínez, I. Osorio-Roman, D. Jara, S.J. Yoon, A.F. Gualdrón-Reyes, Energies 16 (2023) 5868. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16165868.
[9] Y. Zhou, W. Su, Z. Liang, Q. Wu, H. Bai, H. Liu, B. Song, X. Li, B. Xie, C. Liu, et al., Natl. Sci. Rev. 12 (2025) nwaf346. https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwaf346.
[10] R. Ma, Z. Luo, Y. Zhang, L. Zhan, T. Jia, P. Cheng, C. Yan, Q. Fan, S. Liu, L. Ye, G. et al., Sci. China Mater. 68 (2025) 1689. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-025-3366-9.
[11] Y. Jiang, F. Liu, X. Zhu, Nat. Energy 9 (2024) 930. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-024-01558-y.
[12] Y. Jiang, Z. Li, Synth. Met. 299 (2023) 117480. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.synthmet.2023.117480.
[13] X. Sun, J. Lv, C. Zhang, K. Wang, C. Yang, H. Hu, X. Ouyang, Solar RRL 7 (2023) 2300332. https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.202300332.
[14] X. Zhou, W. Liang, R. Ma, C. Zhang, Z. Peng, T.A. Dela Peña, J. Wu, Z. Ma, Y. Liao, G. Li, H. Hu, Energy Environ. Sci. 17 (2024) 7762. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4EE02234C.
[15] H. Guan, Q. Liao, T. Huang, S. Geng, Z. Cao, Z. Zhang, D. Wang, J. Zhang, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 15 (2023) 25774. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c02787.
[16] C.R. McNeill, N.C. Greenham, Appl. Phys. Lett. 93 (2008) 203310. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3033372.
[17] M. Saravanapavanantham, J. Mwaura, V. Bulović, Small Methods 7 (2023) 2200940. https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.202200940.
[18] L.W.T. NG, S.W. Lee, D.W. Chang, J.M. Hodgkiss, D. Vak, Adv. Mater. Technol. 7 (2022) 2101556. https://doi.org/10.1002/admt.202101556.
[19] Z. Xia, T. Cai, X. Li, Q. Zhang, J. Shuai, S. Liu, Catalysts 13 (2023) 156. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13010156.
[20] C.-S. Tsao, C.-M. Chuang, H.-C. Cha, Y.-Y. Huang, Y.-M. Sung, T.-Y. Chung, Y.-T. Chang, Z.-C. Hu, T.-C. Liu, W.-Y. Ma, et al., Mater. Today Energy 36 (2023) 101340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtener.2023.101340.
[21] W. Shockley, H.J. Queisser, J. Appl. Phys. 32 (1961) 510. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1736034.
[22] H. Feng, X. Song, Z. Zhang, R. Geng, J. Yu, L. Yang, D. Baran, W. Tang, Adv. Funct. Mater. 29 (2019) 1903269. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201903269.
[23] Y. Cui, H. Yao, J. Zhang, T. Zhang, Y. Wang, L. Hong, K. Xian, B. Xu, S. Zhang, J. Peng, Z. Wei, F. Gao, J. Hou, Nat. Commun. 10 (2019) 2515. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10351-5.
[24] J. Yuan, Y. Zhang, L. Zhou, G. Zhang, H.-L. Yip, T.-K. Lau, X. Lu, C. Zhu, H. Peng, P.A. Johnson,
et al., Joule 3 (2019) 1140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2019.01.004.
[25] B. Fan, X. Du, F. Liu, W. Zhong, L. Ying, R. Xie, X. Tang, K. An, J. Xin, N. Li, W. Ma, C.J. Brabec, F. Huang, Y. Cao, Nat. Energy 3 (2018) 1051. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-018-0263-4.
[26] P. Bi, X. Hao, Solar RRL 3 (2019) 1800263. https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.201800263.
[27] S. Zhang, F. Ye, X. Wang, R. Chen, H. Zhang, L. Zhan, X. Jiang, Y. Li, X. Ji, S. Liu, et al., Science 380 (2023) 404. https://doi.org/doi:10.1126/science.adg3755.
[28] P. Bi, F. Zheng, X. Yang, M. Niu, L. Feng, W. Qin, X. Hao, J. Mater. Chem. A 5 (2017) 12120. https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TA01557G.
[29] Q. Gao, W. Zhang, Z. Shi, L. Yang, Y. Tang, Adv. Mater. 31 (2019) 1802880. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201802880.
[30] E.F. Manley, J. Strzalka, T.J. Fauvell, N.E. Jackson, M.J. Leonardi, N.D. Eastham, T.J. Marks, L.X. Chen, Adv. Mater. 29 (2017) 1703933. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201703933.
[31] S. Engmann, F.A. Bokel, H.W. Ro, D.M. DeLongchamp, L.J. Richter, Adv. Energy Mater. 6 (2016) 1502011. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201502011.
[32] A.D. Scaccabarozzi, J.I. Basham, L. Yu, P. Westacott, W. Zhang, A. Amassian, I. McCulloch, M. Caironi, D.J. Gundlach, N. Stingelin, J. Mater. Chem. C 8 (2020) 15406. https://doi.org/10.1039/D0TC03173A.
[33] A.D. Scaccabarozzi, N. Stingelin, J. Mater. Chem. A 2 (2014) 10818. https://doi.org/10.1039/C4TA01065E.
[34] X.-T. Hao, N.Y. Chan, D.E. Dunstan, T.A. Smith, J. Phys. Chem. C 113 (2009) 11657. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp901498a.
[35] Z. Fu, J.-W. Qiao, F.-Z. Cui, W.-Q. Zhang, L.-H. Wang, P. Lu, H. Yin, X.-Y. Du, W. Qin, X.-T. Hao, Adv. Mater. 36 (2024) 2313532. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202313532.
[36] J. Han, F. Bao, X. Wang, D. Huang, R. Yang, C. Yang, X. Jian, J. Wang, X. Bao, J. Chu, Cell Rep. Phys. Sci. 2 (2021) 100408. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100408.
[37] W. Xia, B. Zhou, L. Wang, C. Guo, J. Zhou, J. Cheng, W. Sun, C. Chen, Z. Gan, W. Li, et al.,
Adv. Funct. Mater. 34 (2024) 2408340. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202408340.
[38] T. Wang, M.-S. Niu, Z.-C. Wen, Z.-N. Jiang, C.-C. Qin, X.-Y. Wang, H.-Y. Liu, X.-Y. Li, H. Yin, J.-Q. Liu, et al., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 13 (2021) 11134. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c22452.
[39] S. Zhang, F. Bi, J. Han, C. Shang, X. Kang, X. Bao, Nano Energy 102 (2022) 107742. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoen.2022.107742.
[40] X. Kang, Y. Bao, T. Feng, Y. Wu, Y. Zhang, Y. Zhao, C. Yang, M. Sun, X. Bao, Chem. Eng. J. 476 (2023) 146828. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2023.146828.
[41] J. Zhang, Q. Chen, M. Li, G. Zhang, Z. Zhang, X. Deng, J. Xue, C. Zhao, C. Xiao, W. Ma, W. Li,
Adv. Mater. 36 (2024) 2312805. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202312805.
[42] T. Wang, J.-Q. Liu, X.-T. Hao, Solar RRL 4 (2020) 2000539. https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.202000539.
[43] F. Chen, Y. Zhang, Q. Wang, M. Gao, N. Kirby, Z. Peng, Y. Deng, M. Li, L. Ye, Chin. J. Chem. 39 (2021) 2570. https://doi.org/10.1002/cjoc.202100270.
[44] D.L. Yawen Guo, Yang Gao, Cuihong Li, Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. 40 (2024) 2306050. https://doi.org/10.3866/pku.Whxb202306050.
[45] A. Wadsworth, Z. Hamid, J. Kosco, N. Gasparini, I. McCulloch, Adv. Mater. 32 (2020) e2001763. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202001763.
[46] J.-L. Brédas, D. Beljonne, V. Coropceanu, J. Cornil, Chem. Rev. 104 (2004) 4971. https://doi.org/10.1021/cr040084k.
[47] G. Dennler, M.C. Scharber, C.J. Brabec, Adv. Mater. 21 (2009) 1323. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.200801283.
[48] S. Barth, H. Bässler, Phys. Rev. Lett. 79 (1997) 4445. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.79.4445.
[49] Q. Qi, K. Xian, H. Ke, J. Wu, K. Zhou, M. Gao, J. Liu, S. Li, W. Zhao, Z. Chen, L. Ye, ACS Appl. Energy Mater. 5 (2022) 15656. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.2c03265.
[50] C. Cui, Y. Li, Aggregate 2 (2021) e31. https://doi.org/10.1002/agt2.31.
[51] J. Yan, Q. Liang, K. Liu, J. Miao, H. Chen, S. Liu, Z. He, H. Wu, J. Wang, Y. Cao, ACS Energy Lett. 2 (2017) 14. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.6b00556.
[52] P. Bi, J. Wang, Y. Cui, J. Zhang, T. Zhang, Z. Chen, J. Qiao, J. Dai, S. Zhang, X. Hao, Z. Wei, J. Hou, Adv. Mater. 35 (2023) 2210865. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202210865.
[53] J. Yu, S. Li, M. Shi, H. Zhu, H. Chen, Polymer Sci. Technol. 1 (2025) 25. https://doi.org/10.1021/polymscitech.4c00054.
[54] X. Wu, Y. Li, Y. Wang, M. Zhang, Q. Zhu, X. Huang, B. Li, Y. Xue, J. Qing, W. Cai, Solar RRL 8 (2024) 2300812. https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.202300812.
[55] S. Sang, H. He, K. Zhou, X. Li, Y. Yue, Z. Chen, Q. Xiang, B. Huang, L. Ye, K. Sun, C. Yang, S. Chen, Y. Li, Adv. Mater. 38 (2025) e10366. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202510366.
[56] M. Wang, S. Liu, P. You, N. Wang, G. Tang, Q. Miao, F. Yan, Solar RRL 4 (2020) 2000013. https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.202000013.
[57] C. Müller, T.A.M. Ferenczi, M. Campoy-Quiles, J.M. Frost, D.D.C. Bradley, P. Smith, N. Stingelin-Stutzmann, J. Nelson, Adv. Mater. 20 (2008) 3510. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.200800963.
[58] Z. Peng, K. Xian, Y. Cui, Q. Qi, J. Liu, Y. Xu, Y. Chai, C. Yang, J. Hou, Y. Geng, L. Ye, Adv. Mater. 33 (2021) 2106732. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202106732.
[59] R. Ma, X. Jiang, T.A. Dela Peña, W. Gao, J. Wu, M. Li, S.V. Roth, P. Müller-Buschbaum, G. Li, Adv. Mater. 36 (2024) 2405005. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202405005.
[60] F. Bao, J. Han, D. Huang, C. Yang, J. Wang, X. Bao, X. Jian, J. Wang, Chem. Mater. 34 (2022) 430. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.1c03951.
[61] Flory–Huggins theory, in: J.W. Gooch (Ed.), Encyclopedic Dictionary of Polymers, Springer New York, New York, NY, 2007, pp. 421-422.
[62] C. Guan, C. Xiao, X. Liu, Z. Hu, R. Wang, C. Wang, C. Xie, Z. Cai, W. Li, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 62 (2023) e202312357. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202312357.
[63] C. Liu, C. Xiao, C. Xie, Q. Zhu, Q. Chen, W. Ma, W. Li, ChemPhysChem 23 (2022) e202100725. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.202100725.
[64] Q. Zhang, H. Zhang, Z. Wu, C. Wang, R. Zhang, C. Yang, F. Gao, S. Fabiano, H.Y. Woo, M. Ek, X. Liu, M. Fahlman, Solar RRL 6 (2022) 2200381. https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.202200381.
[65] D.R. Kozub, K. Vakhshouri, S.V. Kesava, C. Wang, A. Hexemer, E.D. Gomez, Chem. Commun. 48 (2012) 5859. https://doi.org/10.1039/C2CC31925J.
[66] C.W. Tang, Appl. Phys. Lett. 48 (1986) 183. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.96937.