Bathocuproine (BCP)

CAS Number 4733-39-5

MSDS

Bathocuproine, one of the most popular HBL materials used in organic electronics

Aids the improvement of PCE of polymer organic solar cells when used as a buffer layer

Specifications | MSDS | Literature and Reviews

Bathocuproine (BCP), CAS number 4733-39-5, is a wide-band-gap material and has a high electron affinity. When it is embedded into organic electronic devices, bathocuproine acts as an electron-transport layer (ETL) and exciton-blocking barrier (EBL) which prohibits exciton diffusion process towards the Al electrode. It has a phenanthroline core with methyl and phenyl substituents. The electron-donating nitrogen atoms are able to complex with metal electrodes, improving charge transport properties and stability.

Bathocuproine is one of the most commonly used buffer layer between acceptor and cathode layers. The introduction of the buffer layer can greatly improve the PCE of polymer organic solar cells. Bathocuproine is one of the most popular hole-blocking layer materials that is used in organic electronics, including perovskite solar cells.

Bathocuproine (BCP) from Ossila was used in the high-impact paper (IF 30.85), Engineering Band-Type Alignment in CsPbBr3 Perovskite-Based Artificial Multiple Quantum Wells, K. Lee et al., Adv. Mater., 33 (17), 2005166 (2021); DOI: 10.1002/adma.202005166; and paper (IF 22.0), Suppressing PEDOT:PSS Doping-Induced Interfacial Recombination Loss in Perovskite Solar Cells, Y. Chin et al., ACS Energy Lett., 7 (2), 560–568 (2022); DOI: 10.1021/acsenergylett.1c02577.

It was demonstrated that a bathocuproine buffer layer reduces nonradiative recombination of excitons at the C60 –Al interface. Its most important function is to establish an Ohmic contact between the C60 film and the Al electrode in photovoltaic devices [4].

General Information

Full name	2,9-Dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline
Synonyms	Bathocuproine BCP
CAS number	4733-39-5
Molecular formula	C₂₆H₂₀N₂
Molecular weight	360.45 g/mol
HOMO / LUMO	HOMO ~ 6.4 eV LUMO ~2.9 eV
Classification / Family	Electron-transport layer (ETL), Electron-injection layer (EIL), Hole-blocking layer, OFET, OLED, Organic Photovoltaics, Perovskite solar cells, Sublimed materials.

Product Details

Purity	>99.5% (sublimed) >98.0% (unsublimed)
Melting point	280-282°C (lit.)
Appearance	Light yellow powder

*Sublimation is a technique used to obtain ultra pure-grade chemicals. For more details about sublimation, please refer to the Sublimed Materials.

Chemical Structure

Device Structure(s)

Device structure	ITO/DNTPD* (60 nm)/NPB (20 nm)/mCP (10 nm)/mCP:FIrpic (25 nm)/CBP:Ir(piq)₂acac (5 nm)/BCP (5 nm)/Alq₃ (20 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (200 nm) [5]
Colour	White
EQE@500 cd/m²	8.2 %
Current Efficiency (@500 cd/m²⁾	12.7 lm W⁻¹

Device structure	ITO/NPB (30 nm)/NPB: DCJTB: C545T* (10 nm)/NPB (4 nm)/DNA (8 nm)/BCP (9 nm)/Alq₃ (30 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (100 nm) [6]
Colour	White
Max. Luminance	13,600 cd/m²
Max. Current Efficiency	12.3 cd/A
Max. Power Efficiency	4.4 lm W⁻¹

Device structure	ITO/2T-NATA (17 nm)/TPAHQZn* (25 nm)/NPBX* (15 nm)/BCP (8 nm)/ Alq₃ (35 nm)/LiF (0.5 nm)/Al (120 nm) [7]
Colour	White
Max. EQE	17.5%
Max. Luminance	12,930 cd/m² (12 V)
Max. Current Efficiency	2.66 cd/A (10 V)

Device structure	ITO/ NPB(60 nm)/Alq₃:DCM(7nm)/BCP(12 nm)/ Alq₃(36nm)/ MgAg(200 nm) [8]
Colour	Red
Max. Luminance	1, 000 cd/m²
Max. Current Efficiency	5.66 cd/A

Device structure	ITO/α-NPD* (50 nm)/7%-Ir(ppy)₃:CBP (20 nm)/BCP (10 nm)/Alq₃ (40 nm)/Mg–Ag (100 nm)/Ag (20 nm) [9]
Colour	Green
Max EQE	(12.0±0.6)%
Max. Powder Efficiency	(45±2) lm W⁻¹

*For chemical structure information please refer to the cited references.

Characterization

HPLC of BCP — HPLC trace of Bathocuproine (BCP).

1H NMR BCP Bathocuproine in CDCl3 — ¹H-NMR spectrum of 2,9-Dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenantroline, also known as Bathocuproine, BCP in CDCl₃: Instrument AVIIIHD400 (see full version).

MSDS Documentation

BCP MSDS sheet

Pricing

Grade (Purity)	Order Code	Quantity	Price
Sublimed (>99.5%)	B231	1 g	£240
Sublimed (>99.5%)	B231	5 g	£950
Unsublimed (>98.0%)	B232	5 g	£420

Literature and Reviews

Detailed analysis of bathocuproine layer for organic solar cells based on copper phthalocyanine and C60, J. Huang et al., J. Appl. Phys., 105, 073105 (2009)
On the Role of Bathocuproine in Organic Photovoltaic Cells, H. Gommans et al., Adv. Funct. Mater., 18, 3686-3691 (2008)
A Blue Organic Light Emitting Diode, Y. Kijima et al., J. Appl. Phys., 38, 5274-5277 (1999)

On the function of a bathocuproine buffer layer in organic photovoltaic cells, M. Vogel et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 89, 163501 (2006).
Improved color stability in white phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes using charge confining structure without interlayer, S-H. Kim et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 123509 (2007); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2786853.
High efficiency white organic light-emitting devices by effectively controlling exciton recombination region, F. Guo et al., Semicond. Sci. Technol. 20, 310–313 (2005).
White organic light-emitting devices based on novel (E)-2-(4-(diphenylamino) styryl)quinolato zinc as a hole- transporting emitter, G. Ding et al., Semicond. Sci. Technol. 24, 025016 (2009); stacks.iop.org/SST/24/025016.
High-efficiency red electroluminescence from a narrow recombination zone confined by an organic double heterostructure, Z. Xie et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 79, 1048 (2001); doi: 10.1063/1.1390479.
Efficient electrophosphorescence using a doped ambipolar conductive molecular organic thin film, C. Adachi et aL., Org. Electronics, 2(1), 37-43 (2001), doi:10.1016/S1566-1199(01)00010-6.
Matching Charge Extraction Contact for Wide-Bandgap Perovskite Solar Cells, Y. Lin et al., adv. Mater., 1700607 (2017); DOI: 10.1002/adma.201700607.
Role of bathocuproine as hole-blocking and electron-transporting layer in organic light emitting devices, R.Tomova et al., Phys. Status Solidi. C, 7, 3–4, 992–995 (2010); DOI: 10.1002/pssc.200982725.