Synthesis and photovoltaic properties of polymers based on cyclopentadithiophene and benzimidazole units

The new semiconducting copolymers with 4,4-dialkyl-4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4- b']dithiophene and 2,2-dimethyl-2H-benzimidazole units were synthesized. The fused aromatic rings, such as cyclopentadithiophene (CPDT) unit, can make the polymer backbone more rigid and coplanar, which induces long conjugation length, narrow band gap, and strong intermolecular π-π interaction. The stacking ability was controlled through attaching of linear or branched alkyl side chains. The spectra of PEHCPDTMBI and PHCPDTMBI in the solid films show absorption bands with maximum peaks at 401, 759 and 407, 768 nm, and the absorption onsets at 925 and 954 nm, corresponding to band gaps of 1.34 and 1.30 eV, respectively. The devices comprising PHCPDTMBI with TiO _X showed a V _OC of 0.39 V, a J _SC of 1.14 mA/cm ², and a FF of 0.34, giving a power conversion efficiency of 0.15%. The PHCPDTMBI with linear alkyl chain on CPDT shows good solubility in organic solvent with higher PCE value than that of PEHCPDTMBI.