The covalent functionalization of (7,6)-enriched single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with oligophenylenevinylene (OPV) moieties terminating with a dimethylamino group is proposed as an efficient way to enhance the affinity of CNTs with spiro-MeOTAD in perovskite-based solar cells. The evidence of SWCNTs functionalization and the degree of OPV substitution on SWCNTs are established from TGA, XPS, TEM, and Raman techniques. Our tailored doping materials afford photovoltaic performances in line with conventional Li-doped spiro-MeOTAD, showing at the same time a significantly improved chemical stability of the perovskite component over time. Furthermore, the comparison of the photovoltaic performances with those obtained with nonfunctionalized SWCNTs suggest that the presence of the organic appends ensures highly reproducible PV performances. These results demonstrate the suitability of this functionalized SWCNT material as a valid doping agent for spiro-MeOTAD, representing a viable alternative to the conventional Li salt.
Keywords: SWCNTs; chemical stability; covalent functionalization; hole transport materials; p-type doping; perovskite solar cells; photovoltaics.