A critical review on decade progress and future prospects of P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction solar cells

Babu Balraj; M. Raja; T. G.Vignesh Prabhu; M. Balaji; J. Chandrasekaran; Senthil Kumar Nagarajan; Mohanbabu Bharathi; Sejoon Lee; Chandrasekar Sivakumar

doi:10.1016/j.solener.2025.113574

A critical review on decade progress and future prospects of P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction solar cells

Babu Balraj
, M. Raja
, T. G.Vignesh Prabhu
, M. Balaji
, J. Chandrasekaran
, Senthil Kumar Nagarajan
, Mohanbabu Bharathi
, Sejoon Lee
, Chandrasekar Sivakumar

Vel Tech University
Periyar University
Bharathiar University
National University of Singapore
Chitkara University
National Chung Hsing University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

In recent years, Π-conjugated polymer:fullerene-based bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells have received significant attention since combining a narrow P3HT donor and a high electron affinity PCBM acceptor blend could help achieve high efficiencies. In order to compete with other organic solar cell materials, further optimization of P3HT:PCBM-based BHJ has to be done to improve the device's efficiency. This review traces the historical development of bulk heterojunction, architecture, and its PV characterizations, presents the various work functions of the active layer, different charge transport interface layers and electrodes of P3HT:PCBM-based BHJ solar cells, and P3HT:PCBM-based inverted and tandem device structures. Besides, the PCE performance of different material combinations is listed better to understand the P3HT:PCBM-based BHJ solar cells. This review concludes by discussing the optimization of different PV parameters and fabrication technologies of the BHJ.

Original language	English
Article number	113574
Journal	Solar Energy
Volume	297
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2025.113574
State	Published - 1 Sep 2025

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

Buffer layers
Bulk heterojunction solar cells
P3HT:PCBM blend
PV characteristics
Processing parameters

Access to Document

10.1016/j.solener.2025.113574

Cite this

@article{46ef6bb6e6a04ee0b5990187c0449655,

title = "A critical review on decade progress and future prospects of P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction solar cells",

abstract = "In recent years, Π-conjugated polymer:fullerene-based bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells have received significant attention since combining a narrow P3HT donor and a high electron affinity PCBM acceptor blend could help achieve high efficiencies. In order to compete with other organic solar cell materials, further optimization of P3HT:PCBM-based BHJ has to be done to improve the device's efficiency. This review traces the historical development of bulk heterojunction, architecture, and its PV characterizations, presents the various work functions of the active layer, different charge transport interface layers and electrodes of P3HT:PCBM-based BHJ solar cells, and P3HT:PCBM-based inverted and tandem device structures. Besides, the PCE performance of different material combinations is listed better to understand the P3HT:PCBM-based BHJ solar cells. This review concludes by discussing the optimization of different PV parameters and fabrication technologies of the BHJ.",

keywords = "Buffer layers, Bulk heterojunction solar cells, P3HT:PCBM blend, PV characteristics, Processing parameters",

author = "Babu Balraj and M. Raja and Prabhu, \{T. G.Vignesh\} and M. Balaji and J. Chandrasekaran and Nagarajan, \{Senthil Kumar\} and Mohanbabu Bharathi and Sejoon Lee and Chandrasekar Sivakumar",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 International Solar Energy Society",

year = "2025",

month = sep,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.solener.2025.113574",

language = "English",

volume = "297",

journal = "Solar Energy",

issn = "0038-092X",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A critical review on decade progress and future prospects of P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction solar cells

AU - Balraj, Babu

AU - Raja, M.

AU - Prabhu, T. G.Vignesh

AU - Balaji, M.

AU - Chandrasekaran, J.

AU - Nagarajan, Senthil Kumar

AU - Bharathi, Mohanbabu

AU - Lee, Sejoon

AU - Sivakumar, Chandrasekar

PY - 2025/9/1

Y1 - 2025/9/1

N2 - In recent years, Π-conjugated polymer:fullerene-based bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells have received significant attention since combining a narrow P3HT donor and a high electron affinity PCBM acceptor blend could help achieve high efficiencies. In order to compete with other organic solar cell materials, further optimization of P3HT:PCBM-based BHJ has to be done to improve the device's efficiency. This review traces the historical development of bulk heterojunction, architecture, and its PV characterizations, presents the various work functions of the active layer, different charge transport interface layers and electrodes of P3HT:PCBM-based BHJ solar cells, and P3HT:PCBM-based inverted and tandem device structures. Besides, the PCE performance of different material combinations is listed better to understand the P3HT:PCBM-based BHJ solar cells. This review concludes by discussing the optimization of different PV parameters and fabrication technologies of the BHJ.

AB - In recent years, Π-conjugated polymer:fullerene-based bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells have received significant attention since combining a narrow P3HT donor and a high electron affinity PCBM acceptor blend could help achieve high efficiencies. In order to compete with other organic solar cell materials, further optimization of P3HT:PCBM-based BHJ has to be done to improve the device's efficiency. This review traces the historical development of bulk heterojunction, architecture, and its PV characterizations, presents the various work functions of the active layer, different charge transport interface layers and electrodes of P3HT:PCBM-based BHJ solar cells, and P3HT:PCBM-based inverted and tandem device structures. Besides, the PCE performance of different material combinations is listed better to understand the P3HT:PCBM-based BHJ solar cells. This review concludes by discussing the optimization of different PV parameters and fabrication technologies of the BHJ.

KW - Buffer layers

KW - Bulk heterojunction solar cells

KW - P3HT:PCBM blend

KW - PV characteristics

KW - Processing parameters

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105005411959

U2 - 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113574

DO - 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113574

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:105005411959

SN - 0038-092X

VL - 297

JO - Solar Energy

JF - Solar Energy

M1 - 113574

ER -

A critical review on decade progress and future prospects of P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction solar cells

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this