{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,24]],"date-time":"2026-02-24T21:11:24Z","timestamp":1771967484295,"version":"3.50.1"},"posted":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"group-title":"SSRN","reference-count":18,"publisher":"Elsevier BV","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:p>Molecular design offers a powerful approach to improve the performance of organic solar cells by tuning the electronic properties of active molecules and optimising the morphology of their thin films. Barbituric acid and its derivatives, as electron-withdrawing moieties in non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs), have shown promise in improving the performance in organic photovoltaics (OPVs). Here, the synthesis of four novel NFAs with barbituric acid and N-methyl barbiturate derivatives end-groups, via microwave-assisted Knoevenagel condensation reactions, is described. The optical properties, electrochemical analysis, and theoretical calculations of the new acceptors were systematically investigated, providing deep insights into their electronic structure. Solar cells incorporating the new materials as acceptors both in binary and ternary active blends were fabricated and their performances were correlated with the film morphology of the photoactive blends, assessed by atomic force microscopy. This work elucidates on the significant role of barbituric acid and their derivatives in the molecular design of novel acceptors for thin-film optoelectronic devices such as organic solar cells.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.2139\/ssrn.6299918","type":"posted-content","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,24]],"date-time":"2026-02-24T20:40:45Z","timestamp":1771965645000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Structural and Optoelectronic Effects of Barbituric Acid and N-Methyl Barbiturate End Groups in Non-Fullerene Acceptors"],"prefix":"10.2139","author":[{"given":"B\u00e1rbara","family":"Oliveira","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Rub\u00e9n","family":"Caballero Brice\u00f1o","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Adelino","family":"Galv\u00e3o","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Jorge","family":"Morgado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6717-6826","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Ana","family":"Charas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"78","reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1002\/eom2.12281","article-title":"Recent advances of non-fullerene organic solar cells: From materials and morphology to devices and applications","volume":"5","author":"Y Zhang","year":"2023","journal-title":"EcoMat"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1170","DOI":"10.1002\/adma.201404317","article-title":"An Electron Acceptor Challenging Fullerenes for Efficient Polymer Solar Cells","volume":"27","author":"Y Lin","year":"2015","journal-title":"Advanced Materials"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1038\/nenergy.2015.27","article-title":"Efficient organic solar cells processed from hydrocarbon solvents","volume":"1","author":"J Zhao","year":"2016","journal-title":"Nat. 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