Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jiangang Liu, Yukai Yin, Kang Wang, Puxin Wei, Haodong Lu, Chunpeng Song, Qiuju Liang, Wei Huang
Summary: A strategy that promotes the separate crystallization of acceptor and donor in polymer solar cells has been proposed. By combining solution state and confined crystallization, the driving force for phase separation was reduced, leading to the formation of an interpenetrating network with high crystallinity and suitable domain size.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Jinzhen Huang, Huangzhong Yu
Summary: The addition of small-molecule biomaterial GHK-Cu in binary PBDB-T:ITIC system increases ITIC crystallinity and promotes the formation of continuous single-phase domains of PBDB-T and ITIC, optimizing charge transmission in PSCs. GHK-Cu also enhances energy transfer efficiency and enhances the absorption spectrum, leading to improved PCE in ternary devices. The incorporation of GHK-Cu significantly boosts the PCE of both PBDB-T:ITIC and PM6:Y6 based PSCs.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Huanxiang Jiang, Chenyu Han, Yonghai Li, Fuzhen Bi, Nan Zheng, Jianhua Han, Wenfei Shen, Shuguang Wen, Chunming Yang, Renqiang Yang, Xichang Bao
Summary: This study investigates the roles of two acceptors with different crystallinity, LA1 and LA9, in ternary organic solar cells. It is found that LA9, with higher crystallinity, tends to form large self-aggregates, leading to decreased device performance compared to LA1. Both acceptors show improved device performance when incorporated into the binary host compound, with the appropriate interactions of LA9 inducing ordered crystallinity and better compatibility with the host acceptor.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Haisheng Fang, Dongdong Xia, Chaowei Zhao, Shengxi Zhou, Ruoyao Wang, Yourui Zang, Chengyi Xiao, Weiwei Li
Summary: This study systematically investigates the influence of alkyl linker length on the photovoltaic performance of two small molecular dyads (SMDs). It is found that the length of the alkyl linker can simultaneously tune the energy levels and phase separation in molecular dyad thin films. SMD2-C12 with a longer alkyl linker exhibits higher power conversion efficiency and performance metrics.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xinjun He, Christopher C. S. Chan, Jinwook Kim, Heng Liu, Chun-Jen Su, U-Ser Jeng, Haibin Su, Xinhui Lu, Kam Sing Wong, Wallace C. H. Choy
Summary: Tuning the vertical distribution of electron donors and acceptors through additives plays a crucial role in improving the performance and efficiency of organic solar cells (OSCs). This study provides solid evidence that the commonly used 1-chloronaphthalene (CN) additive can effectively tune the vertical distribution and significantly enhance the performance of OSCs. The findings offer insights into the understanding and construction of high-performance OSCs.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Sebastian Wilken, Dorothea Scheunemann, Staffan Dahlstrom, Mathias Nyman, Jurgen Parisi, Ronald osterbacka
Summary: Modifying the annealing procedure can lead to different model morphologies with varying phase separation, molecular order, and phase purity, which are crucial for reducing charge recombination rates.
ADVANCED ELECTRONIC MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaopeng Xu, Wenwen Jing, Huifeng Meng, Yuanyuan Guo, Liyang Yu, Ruipeng Li, Qiang Peng
Summary: Sequential deposition is used to fabricate multicomponent organic solar cells with a double-bulk heterojunction structure, improving light absorption and morphology without complex optimization. The power conversion efficiency is improved from 18.25% to 19.61% compared to binary blend OSCs, while a quaternary blend of OSCs shows a reduced efficiency of 15.83%. This demonstrates the potential of the double-BHJ strategy in enhancing the performance of OSCs.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jingyu Tan, Yujun Zhao, Guanliang Li, Song Yang, Chengwen Huang, Huangzhong Yu
Summary: In this study, 2D GeSe was introduced into the active layer of organic solar cells for the first time, adjusting the morphology of the active layer and improving the crystallinity and molecular orientation of the acceptor molecule ITIC. This led to the formation of efficient charge transport networks and reduced carrier recombination, enhancing the power conversion efficiency and lifetime of the solar cells. Additionally, the interaction between 2D GeSe and ITIC was revealed through first-principles calculation, providing insights for morphology regulation and exploring the interaction between 2D materials and organic molecules.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xinkang Wang, Lifu Zhang, Lei Hu, Zijun Xie, Houdong Mao, Licheng Tan, Youdi Zhang, Yiwang Chen
Summary: The research focuses on improving the efficiency of organic solar cells by combining the SD method and additive general strategy, resulting in a vertical phase separation device with enhanced morphology using additives 1,10-decanediol and 1-chloronaphthalene. This approach showed promising results in enhancing charge separation, collection, and ultimately achieving a high power conversion efficiency of 16.93%.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shangfei Yao, Ciyuan Huang, Qiuning Wang, Tao Yang, Shasha Shi, Yudie Liu, Chenfu Zhao, Ziyang Zhang, Xiaodong Shen, Tongzhou Li, Bin He, Wenchao Lin, Teng Zhang, Bingsuo Zou, Tao Liu
Summary: In this study, a two-step annealing method was used to achieve 15% efficiency in block copolymer-based organic solar cells. The enhancement of crystallite size, global crystallinity, and reduction of phase length scale and maintenance of phase purity were found to be the driving factors behind the improved device performance.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Christina Cheng, Stephen Wong, Garrett LeCroy, Sebastian Schneider, Enrique Gomez, Michael F. Toney, Alberto Salleo
Summary: The performance of nonfullerene-based organic solar cells is influenced by the morphology of the donor:acceptor blend, which is controlled by the composition. However, it is challenging to identify morphological design rules due to the complex relationship between composition-dependent phase behavior and device properties. In this study, the authors establish a direct link between PM6:Y6 film morphology and device properties by combining X-ray scattering and photocurrent spectroscopy. The results reveal that the charge transfer state at the amorphous-PM6:crystalline-Y6 interfaces controls the open-circuit voltage.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Letizia Liiro-Peluso, James Wrigley, David B. Amabilino, Peter H. Beton
Summary: The efficiency of organic bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells depends on the bulk and surface structure of the active layer, which can be resolved at the nanoscale using high-resolution atomic force microscopy (AFM). In this study, poly(3-hexylthiophene):[6,6]-phenyl C-61 butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) active layer mixtures with different stoichiometries were investigated using AC-mode AFM. The nanoscale organization of P3HT and the P3HT:PCBM mixtures at the surface-air interface of the BHJ architecture were observed, and the effect of different ratios of PCBM on the morphology was analyzed. When exposed to ambient light, the morphologies of the samples were significantly different and submolecular resolution was not achieved.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Tao Wang, Rui Sun, Yao Wu, Wei Wang, Meimei Zhang, Jie Min
Summary: This study demonstrates a promising design strategy to synthesize a polymer acceptor PT-YTz with intensified and extended absorption spectrum and enhanced electron mobility. The PM6/PT-YTz all-PSCs showed favorable active layer morphology and high efficiency.
CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yanan Liu, Jianqi Zhang, Yangjun Yan, Chen Yang, Junxiu Pan, Xiaotao Zhang, Zhixiang Wei
Summary: This study demonstrated the enhancement of small molecule organic solar cells performance by regulating the morphology of the active layer using a mixed solvent approach, resulting in improved power conversion efficiency. The performance improvement was mainly attributed to the enhancement in bulk heterojunction molecular crystallinity, leading to optimized phase separation, and consequently improving the exciton separation and charge collection efficiency.
ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Xiaodong Wang, Hao Lu, Andong Zhang, Na Yu, Guangliu Ran, Zhaozhao Bi, Xiaodi Yu, Xinjun Xu, Yahui Liu, Zheng Tang, Wenkai Zhang, Wei Ma, Zhishan Bo
Summary: In this study, two nonfused ring electron acceptors (NFREAs), BTh-OC8-2F and DTh-OC8-2F, were designed and synthesized. It was found that the DTh-OC8-2F based blend film exhibited better nanoscale phase separation and higher photoconversion efficiency.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shahriyar Safat Dipta, Md Habibur Rahaman, Walia Binte Tarique, Ashraful Hossain Howlader, Ayush Pratik, John A. Stride, Ashraf Uddin
Summary: Implementing a double-sided passivation approach can enhance the performance of n-i-p structured PSCs and improve the stability and photovoltaic properties of the cells.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Daniel Ourinson, Andreas Brand, Andreas Lorenz, Marwan Dhamrin, Sebastian Tepner, Michael Linse, Nathalie Goettlicher, Kosuke Tsuji, Jonas D. Huyeng, Florian Clement
Summary: This work presents two approaches to reduce the amount of silver on the rear side of M2-sized industrial iTOPCon solar cells. The Cu-based approach shows promise with similar power conversion efficiency compared to the conventional approach, while the Al-based approach exhibits some limitations but demonstrates the potential of such type of contact for iTOPCon solar cells.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Abasifreke Ebong, Donald Intal, Sandra Huneycutt, Thad Druffel, Ruvini Dharmadasa, Kevin Elmer, Apolo Nambo
Summary: This study demonstrates the successful metallization of a PERC silicon solar cell using screen-printable copper (Cu) paste. The Cu paste contains antioxidant additives and diffusion inhibitors to prevent oxidation and diffusion of Cu. The Cu-printed cells achieved an efficiency of 19% and showed no Cu diffusion after characterization tests. The long-term stability and effectiveness of the Cu diffusion barrier were also confirmed.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Senami Zogbo, Wilfried Favre, Olivier Bonino, Marie-Estelle Gueunier-Farret
Summary: Measuring specific contact resistivity (pc) is crucial for interface engineering in high efficiency solar cells. The Transfer Length Method (TLM) is commonly used for evaluating layer sheet resistance (Rsheet) and pc, but it is not suitable for metal/Transparent Conductive Oxide (TCO) interface evaluation in silicon heterojunction (SHJ) cells. This study investigates the parameters that restrict current confinement within the TCO, including mid-gap trap density (Dit) at the a-Si:H/c-Si interface and the activation energy (Ea = Ec - EF) variation of a-Si:H contact layers.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jean-Baptiste Charpentier, Philippe Voarino, Julien Gaume
Summary: The phenomenon of ribbon lengthening in PV modules exposed to thermal cycling is not well explained in the literature. In this study, a three layers model is proposed to explain this effect, and the predictions of the model are validated through finite element method simulations and experiments. The results show that the model predictions are consistent with the indirect measurements, but not with the direct measurements. Additionally, it is inferred that the encapsulant plays a role after the solder failure.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jean-Baptiste Charpentier, Philippe Voarino, Julien Gaume
Summary: This study investigates the problematic ribbon lengthening observed in PV modules exposed to high amplitude thermal cycling. A simplified system model is proposed and accurate predictions are obtained using the Finite Element Method. The results show that the thickness of the encapsulant has a substantial impact on the lengthening of the ribbons.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
S. Catalan-Gomez, E. Martinez Castellano, M. Schwarz, M. Montes Bajo, L. Dorado Vargas, A. Gonzalo, A. Redondo-Cubero, A. Gallego Carro, A. Hierro, J. M. Ulloa
Summary: This study investigates the use of core-shell gallium nanoparticles as functional light scatterers on solar cells. By optimizing the nanoparticle size, the short-circuit current of the solar cells is significantly improved. The underlying physical mechanism is studied through optical measurements and simulations, and a method to reduce the plasmonic effect of the nanoparticles is demonstrated.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
M. Gamel, G. Lopez, A. M. Medrano, A. Jimenez, A. Datas, M. Garin, I. Martin
Summary: In this study, a highly reflective ohmic contact to p-type c-Ge material is demonstrated, which can improve the efficiency of thermophotovoltaic devices. The experimental results show that this contact can simultaneously meet the requirements of good back surface passivation, low electrical resistivity, and high reflectivity. Moreover, simulations suggest that implementing these back contacts has the potential to achieve conversion efficiencies comparable to high-efficiency c-Ge TPV cells.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hongyang Wei, Qing Xu, Dongchu Chen, Min Chen, Menglei Chang, Xiufang Ye
Summary: This study prepared solar selective absorption films based on anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) photonic crystals using a unique electrodeposition method. The Co-Ag electrodeposited film exhibited superior solar selective absorption properties and thermal stability.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ankit Kumar, Ankit Chauhan, Jordi Llobet, Helder Fonseca, Patricia C. Sousa, Carlos Calaza, Gil Shalev
Summary: This study found that decorating subwavelength arrays with SiO2 quasi-nanolenses (qNL arrays) can enhance the absorption of the solar spectrum. Optical absorption mechanisms in qNL arrays were investigated using near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM), revealing that the enhancement is a result of the combination of effective antireflection coating, increased optical interactions between adjacent dielectrics for elevated light trapping, and strong light concentration due to the presence of qNLs.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
S. Pingel, T. Wenzel, N. Goettlicher, M. Linse, L. Folcarelli, J. Schube, S. Hoffmann, S. Tepner, Y. C. Lau, J. Huyeng, A. Lorenz, F. Clement
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential to reduce silver consumption in highly efficient SHJ cells through fine-line screen printing using low temperature paste with various screens. The results show that using finer mesh allows for narrower grid fingers and lower resistance, leading to improved cell efficiency. Simulation results indicate that module wire configuration is crucial for reducing silver consumption.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Xibo He, Jun Qiu, Wei Wang, Yicheng Hou, Yong Shuai
Summary: This paper proposes a novel phase change material with high thermal conductivity and stability for fast photo-thermal conversion and storage. The experimental results demonstrate excellent durability and stability of the phase change material, with good performance in thermal conductivity and thermal storage efficiency.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Qingyuan Liu, Lin Wang, Zheng Liu, Guohua Liu
Summary: A new evaporating structure consisting of liquid marble with tunable nanowire array is proposed to enhance solar evaporation. The experiments show that the liquid marble with nanowire array exhibits outstanding evaporation performance, which has significant implications for seawater desalination or wastewater treatment.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hao Liu, Qiming Liu, Jinpei Liu, Yonggang Zhao, Yingjie Yu, Yue An, Ganghui Wei, Yanzheng Li, Yujun Fu, Junshuai Li, Deyan He
Summary: Moisture in the air is identified as the main cause of performance degradation in organic-inorganic hybrid solar cells. Exposure to air leads to the growth of thin oxide layer on the interface and the formation of silver sulfide, increasing the series resistance and decreasing the fill factor, thus degrading the cell performance.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
E. Blanco, P. Martin, M. Dominguez, P. Fernandez-Palacios, I. Lombardero, C. Sanchez-Perez, I. Garcia, C. Algora, M. Gabas
Summary: This study addresses the lack of optical parameters for p-type Ge wafers by determining the complex refractive indices of commercial Ge wafers with varying doping levels. The obtained data successfully reproduces the critical points associated with interband transitions and absorption features below the bandgap. The refractive indices were validated through experimental measurements and solar cell simulations.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)