PCBM is the common abbreviation for the
fullerene derivative ,6phenyl-C
61-butyric acid methyl ester. It is being investigated in
organic solar cells
A solar cell, or photovoltaic cell, is an electronic device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect, which is a physical and chemical phenomenon. .
PCBM is a
fullerene derivative of the C
60 buckyball
Buckminsterfullerene is a type of fullerene with the formula C60. It has a cage-like fused-ring structure (truncated icosahedron) made of twenty hexagons and twelve pentagons, and resembles a soccer ball. Each of its 60 carbon atoms is bonded t ...
that was first synthesized in the 1990s.
It is an
electron acceptor material and is often used in
organic solar cell
An organic solar cell (OSC) or plastic solar cell is a type of photovoltaic that uses organic electronics, a branch of electronics that deals with conductive organic polymers or small organic molecules, for light absorption and charge transport t ...
s (plastic solar cells) or flexible electronics in conjunction with
electron donor
In chemistry, an electron donor is a chemical entity that donates electrons to another compound. It is a reducing agent that, by virtue of its donating electrons, is itself oxidized in the process.
Typical reducing agents undergo permanent chemi ...
materials such as
P3HT or other
conductive polymer
Conductive polymers or, more precisely, intrinsically conducting polymers (ICPs) are organic polymers that conduct electricity. Such compounds may have metallic conductivity or can be semiconductors. The biggest advantage of conductive polymers ...
s. It is a more practical choice for an electron acceptor when compared with fullerenes because of its solubility in
chlorobenzene
Chlorobenzene is an aromatic organic compound with the chemical formula C6H5Cl. This colorless, flammable liquid is a common solvent and a widely used intermediate in the manufacture of other chemicals.
Uses
Historical
The major use of chlorob ...
. This allows for solution processable donor/acceptor mixes, a necessary property for "printable" solar cells. However, considering the cost of fabricating fullerenes, it is not certain that this derivative can be synthesized on a large scale for commercial applications.
See also
*
Organic solar cell
An organic solar cell (OSC) or plastic solar cell is a type of photovoltaic that uses organic electronics, a branch of electronics that deals with conductive organic polymers or small organic molecules, for light absorption and charge transport t ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Phenyl-C61-Butyric Acid Methyl Ester
Carboxylate esters
Fullerenes
Phenyl compounds