Enzymatic Synthesis and Functionalization of 2-Aminofluorene-Based Compounds with Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT) for Enhanced Performance in Organic Solar Cells

Abstract

This research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of 2-Aminofluorene (PAF)-based compounds for their potential application in organic solar cells (OSCs). We present a novel enzymatic approach to the synthesis of PAF, which incorporates multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) at varying concentrations to modify and enhance the structural, electrical, chemical, and optical properties of the PAF matrix. The resultant modified compounds were subsequently incorporated into the active layer of OSC devices. Comprehensive characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and thermal analysis, were employed to evaluate the effects of MWCNT incorporation. Notably, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis revealed that PAF3 exhibited the highest melting point (Tm) at 155.60 °C, while PAF1 demonstrated the highest glass transition temperature (Tg) at 26.14 °C, indicating favorable thermal stability and processing characteristics for these materials. Additionally, the energy gap (Egap) was found to be lowest for PAF3 at 5.51 eV, compared to PAF1, which exhibited an Egap of 7.65 eV, suggesting improved charge transport properties for PAF3. The results demonstrated significant enhancements in the photovoltaic performance parameters of the OSCs, underscoring the beneficial role of MWCNTs in optimizing the properties of PAF-based materials for solar energy applications.