2D MXene-based electron transport layers for nonhalogenated solvent-processed stable organic solar cells

Implementation of 2D materials is one of the promising routes for improving the efficiency and stability of organic solar cells (OSCs). Due to their tunable optical and electronic properties, MXenes, a family of 2D transition metal carbides and nitrides, have attracted considerable attention and demonstrated their potential for next-generation solar cells. In this work, Ti₃C₂T_x MXene was added into ZnO precursors and applied as a modified composite electron transport layer (ETL) in PM6:N3-based inverted OSCs. The nonhalogenated solvent o-xylene was employed as the active layer solvent for the development of stable, efficient, and eco-friendly OSCs. By optimizing the concentration of Ti₃C₂T_x in the ZnO ETL, the solar cells exhibited power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 14.1 and 13.7% for 0.5 and 2 wt % MXene, respectively, as compared to neat ZnO layer devices with a PCE of 14.9%. Interestingly, the MXene-based PM6:N3 OSC devices showed superior device stability compared to the reference cells. It is demonstrated that the MXene introduced in the composite ZnO-based ETL mitigates the photocatalytic decomposition of the organic active layer on the ZnO surface, as analyzed via optical spectroscopy and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which appears as a main reason for improved device stability. We thus report on the usage of MXene in green solvent-processed OSCs to enhance the lifetime of solar cells and thus address an important bottleneck in high-performance nonfullerene acceptor solar cells.