Isobenzofulvene–C60 adducts were synthesized and used in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells.
The LUMO energy levels of these adducts are 20–180 meV higher than that of PCBM.
Raised LUMO levels of fullerenes and their desirably slow recombination dynamics led to higher open-circuit voltages (VOC).
The short-circuit current densities (JSC) were improved in the devices containing the epoxide analogs of IBF–C60.
The epoxide derivative of the monoadduct (IBF–Ep) exhibited ∼20% enhancement of PCE compared to reference P3HT:PCBM cells.