Page 72 - Read Online
P. 72

Wen et al. J. Mater. Inf. 2025, 5, 30  https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/jmi.2024.102  Page 17 of 21

               reliability of property predictions for SM-HTMs. These strategies aim to improve the model’s generalization
               capabilities across different molecular architectures and enhance the accuracy of its performance
               predictions. On the other hand, as shown in Supplementary Table 18, the RF model and XGBoost model
               exhibited the best performance in predicting hydrophobicity and hole reorganization energy, respectively.
               On the other hand, the GBDT model performed better in predicting solvation free energy and maximum
               light absorption peak. Overall, the RF, GBDT, and XGBoost models, trained on the database obtained from
               high-throughput calculations, demonstrate good generalizability in predicting the material properties of
               linear organic SM-HTMs.

               Methods for the design and development of new SM-HTMs
               The discussion above, exemplified by linear SM-HTMs, presents a novel strategy for the design and
               development of SM-HTMs. The corresponding workflow is schematically illustrated in Figure 9. This
               methodology outlines a systematic and iterative approach designed to expedite the discovery of high-
               performance SM-HTMs. The process begins with the construction of a diverse library of candidate organic
               small  molecules  using  a  MSA.  High-throughput  computational  methods  are  then  applied  to
               comprehensively evaluate the performance parameters of these molecules. At this stage, high-performing
               candidates can be screened and selected for further study. Additionally, the computational data generated
               can be used to train ML models, enabling the development of robust structure-property relationship
               models. This facilitates the direct prediction of performance parameters based on molecular structures
               generated by the splicing algorithm, significantly reducing dependence on resource-intensive simulations. If
               the model encounters new molecular structures that lead to inaccuracies in prediction, high-throughput
               computational methods can be reintroduced to optimize and refine the ML model. Moreover, the ML
               model can be employed for inverse design, allowing the identification of molecular structures predicted to
               exhibit superior performance. This integrated strategy effectively combines the computational efficiency of
               ML with the precision of high-throughput calculations, fostering iterative improvement in both predictive
               accuracy and material discovery. This seamless and adaptive workflow significantly accelerates the
               identification, screening, and optimization of next-generation SM-HTMs. While this study primarily
               focuses on the application of the proposed methodology to the design and screening of SM-HTMs for PSCs,
               the approach can be extended to other photovoltaic materials and device architectures. The MSA, combined
               with high-throughput computational screening and ML, provides a versatile framework that can be adapted
               for the discovery of new functional materials in various optoelectronic applications. For instance, in organic
               photovoltaics (OPVs), donor-acceptor molecular systems play a crucial role in determining device
               performance. By applying the MSA, high-throughput computational screening and ML strategies, a diverse
               library of donor-acceptor molecules can be systematically generated and screened based on key parameters
               such as frontier molecular orbital energies, exciton binding energy, and charge transport properties.
               Similarly, in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), this methodology can facilitate the identification of novel
               organic dyes with enhanced light absorption, redox stability, and efficient charge transfer properties. It
               offers a powerful framework for advancing material innovation in applications such as PSCs and other
               cutting-edge photovoltaic technologies.

               CONCLUSIONS
               In summary, this work presents a novel design strategy for key HTMs in PSCs, utilizing the combination of
               molecular splicing, high-throughput computational screening, and ML techniques to identify candidate
               molecular materials with outstanding structures, comprehensive properties, and synthetic feasibility.
               Approximately 200,000 π-type molecular structures were generated using a MSA, from which 7,399
               molecules were selected for D-π-D-type molecular construction, followed by high-precision DFT
               calculations. Ultimately, a database of 7,222 D-π-D HTMs was compiled, containing property data for
               molecular structure models, HOMO levels, hole reorganization energy, solvation free energy, maximum
   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77