Article
Energy & Fuels
Belal Usmani, Rahul Ranjan, Prateek, Shailendra Kumar Gupta, Raju Kumar Gupta, Kanwar Singh Nalwa, Ashish Garg
Summary: The incorporation of gold nanoparticles into zinc oxide electron transport layers in organic solar cells can enhance light absorption and improve carrier collection efficiency, ultimately leading to significantly improved device performance.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Zhipeng Yin, Sikai Mei, Lijun Chen, Pengcheng Gu, Jinhua Huang, Xing Li, Hai-Qiao Wang, Weijie Song
Summary: The research reveals the importance of appropriate phase separation/blend morphology in device performance, which can be achieved through the use of a ternary strategy or suitable solvent.
ORGANIC ELECTRONICS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Xinxiu Cao, Liang Xie, Xinyu Zhu, Jiayu Lv, Hui Fan
Summary: Processing solvent additives, such as aromatic ethers, have been found to improve the performance of polymer solar cells (PSCs) more effectively than traditional halogenated solvents. The selection of green solvent additives, with good solvent properties for PC71BM and nonsolvent properties for PTB7, as well as a boiling point slightly higher than the host solvent, can enhance the device performance of PSCs by promoting the formation of a beneficial phase separation morphology in the blend films. This study's proposed principles for green solvent additives can be utilized to optimize the active layer structure of other PSCs that undergo liquid-liquid phase separation.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Claudia Caddeo, Alessio Filippetti, Andrea Bosin, Christine Videlot-Ackermann, Jorg Ackermann, Alessandro Mattoni
Summary: The study investigates the miscibility of three different polymers with a fullerene acceptor in ternary organic photovoltaics through atomistic simulations. Results show that, under specific conditions of fullerene weight ratios and dense blends, the sensitizer is likely located in the host polymer phase for optimal solar cell performance. This work demonstrates the potential for selecting specific morphologies in ternary organic blends based on weight ratios and density.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hui Lin, Xicheng Yao, Minglang Li, Xin Yu, Xiaoyang Du, Gang Yang, Caijun Zheng, Silu Tao
Summary: The use of high-boiling-point solvent additives often fails to optimize the performance of heat-sensitive material systems. However, choosing a volatile solvent additive, such as THF, can achieve similar effects without thermal annealing, effectively improving the performance of OSCs.
ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Chaorong Guo, Zhennan Li, Kuo Wang, Xunchen Zhou, Di Huang, Jiaojiao Liang, Ling Zhao
Summary: Machine learning (ML) is used to predict the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of ternary organic solar cells (OSCs) with PC71BM. Random forest (RF) shows the best PCE prediction accuracy among various ML algorithms. Experimental results verify the feasibility of ML in predicting the PCE of ternary OSCs and the doping concentration of the third component.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Christian Sprau, Jens Kattenbusch, Yonghe Li, Erich Mueller, Dagmar Gerthsen, Rudiger Berger, Jasper J. Michels, Alexander Colsmann
Summary: The efficiency of organic solar cells depends on the morphology of light-harvesting bulk heterojunctions, with solvent additives needing both good fullerene solubility and low polymer solubility for optimal performance. Comprehensive scale investigations using microscopy techniques have developed a microscopic picture of domain configurations within the light-harvesting layers.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zicha Li, Dandan Song, Zheng Xu, Bo Qiao, Suling Zhao, S. Wageh, Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, Xiaomin Huo
Summary: The performance of polymer solar cells (PSCs) is influenced differently by the incorporation of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) with different emission wavelengths. However, the devices doped with different CdSe QDs exhibit almost the same efficiency.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY & FUELS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Longfei Liu, Jinglong Chen, Yongdie Meng, Conggui Jin, Fan Yi, Chao Xu, Manjun Xiao
Summary: Additives are essential in controlling the morphology of the active layer in polymer solar cells (PSCs). However, the commonly used halogen-containing additives have toxicity issues, hindering large-scale industrial production. In this study, two low-cost, non-halogen additives, THN and 1-THNO, were introduced to improve the performance of PTB7-Th:PC71BM PSCs. The results showed that the THN- and 1-THNO-processed PSCs exhibited enhanced exciton dissociation, charge transport, morphological properties, and achieved higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) compared to the blend films without additives. Furthermore, using the non-halogen solvent o-XY further improved the PCE of the PSCs processed with 1-THNO. Overall, this work presents a promising approach for large-scale production of high-performance PSCs by utilizing non-halogen additives.
ORGANIC ELECTRONICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wei Chen, Renjun Guo, Haodong Tang, Kerstin S. Wienhold, Nian Li, Zhengyan Jiang, Jun Tang, Xinyu Jiang, Lucas P. Kreuzer, Haochen Liu, Matthias Schwartzkopf, Xiao Wei Sun, Stephan Roth, Kai Wang, Baomin Xu, Peter Mueller-Buschbaum
Summary: Research reveals that the degradation of structure in PbS QD ink-based solar cells during operation leads to a decrease in inter-dot distance and an increase in spatial disorder, resulting in broadening of energy state distribution and reduction in open-circuit voltage V-oc, causing device degradation.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Naser Al-Shekaili, Suhairul Hashim, Fahmi F. Muhammadsharif, Khaulah Sulaiman, M. Z. Al-Abri
Summary: The approach of hot-substrate coating enhances both the performance and stability of organic solar cells, with devices achieving higher power conversion efficiency and maintaining efficiency over time compared to those deposited at room temperature.
JOURNAL OF ELECTRONIC MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Natalia N. N. Udalova, Aleksandra K. K. Moskalenko, Nikolai A. A. Belich, Pavel A. A. Ivlev, Andrey S. S. Tutantsev, Eugene A. A. Goodilin, Alexey B. B. Tarasov
Summary: The use of organic diammonium cations has shown promise in improving the stability of perovskite solar cells. The researchers investigated the crystallization ability of 2D perovskites and found a persistent barrier for obtaining layered compounds with certain thicknesses. They also discovered that adding a small amount of diammonium salt can enhance the photothermal stability of the perovskite materials and devices.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yujiao Yan, Xiong Li, Fenghua Zhang, Mandi Li, Jun Zhou, Tao Lin, Yaohui Zhu, Denghui Xu
Summary: Solvent additives can regulate active layer morphology and improve photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells (OSCs). In this study, 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO) and 1-chloronaphthalene (CN) were used as binary additives to prepare PM6:Y6:PC71BM ternary bulk heterojunction OSCs. The addition of trace amounts of DIO further improved the active layer morphology and induced better distribution of Y6:PC71BM acceptor. With optimized active layer morphology, the binary additives of CN and DIO effectively restricted carrier recombination and improved charge transport efficiency, leading to higher short-circuit current density, fill factor, and power conversion efficiency compared to devices without additives or with DIO or CN additive.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ruijie Ma, Cenqi Yan, Patrick Wai-Keung Fong, Jiangsheng Yu, Heng Liu, Junli Yin, Jianhua Huang, Xinhui Lu, He Yan, Gang Li
Summary: This research focuses on the influence of morphology regulation strategies, such as ternary strategy and cosolvent engineering, on the performance of organic solar cells (OSCs). The addition of BN-T as the third component had different effects on the morphology evolution of different systems. This study provides an insightful understanding of the morphology evolution in ternary OSCs assisted by a high-boiling solvent additive via in situ investigation techniques.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Tianran Liu, Quinn C. Burlingame, Jeni C. Sorli, Melissa L. Ball, Guangming Cheng, Nan Yao, Yueh-Lin Loo
Summary: Transparent photovoltaics using ultraviolet photons as energy sources are suitable for lower power applications like regulating lighting and temperature in electrochromic windows. The study shows that halogenated chromophores can cause degradation in operational stability of photovoltaic devices, which should be taken into consideration during molecular design process.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Neng Hu, Lei Shi, Shangchao Ji, Weijia Wang, Lin Lei, Huiqing Fan, Peter Mueller-Buschbaum, Qi Zhong
Summary: An adhesive and visualized hydrogel-based detector is designed to monitor the solar radiation dose required for plant growth by the discoloration of methylene blue (MB) under sunshine. The hybrid hydrogels prepared from photoinitiated polymerization on the graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) surface and polypropylene (PP) fabrics as a substrate enable better photodegradation capability and improved mechanical properties of the hydrogel-based detector. By pasting the detector on the leaf of a plant, the radiation dose can be accurately traced from the change in color to ensure sufficient radiation for plant growth and avoid burn to the leaves under sunlight.
ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Julija Reitenbach, Christina Geiger, Peixi Wang, Apostolos Vagias, Robert Cubitt, Dirk Schanzenbach, Andre Laschewsky, Christine M. Papadakis, Peter Mueller-Buschbaum
Summary: The swelling behavior of PNIPMAM thin films containing magnesium salts in water vapor is investigated for their potential applications as nanodevices. In situ time-of-flight neutron reflectometry is used to probe the extent and kinetics of the swelling ratio and water content. In situ Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and two-dimensional FTIR correlation analysis are utilized to study the solvation events and enhance the sensitivity of PNIPMAM thin films. The addition of Mg(ClO4)2 or Mg(NO3)2 results in higher water uptake and thickness gain in the swollen state, with Mg(NO3)2 showing the highest relative water uptake.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Xinyu Jiang, Sebastian Grott, Volker Koerstgens, Kerstin S. Wienhold, Zerui Li, Jinsheng Zhang, Christopher R. Everett, Matthias Schwartzkopf, Stephan V. Roth, Peter Mueller-Buschbaum
Summary: Slot-die coating is a promising method to commercialize organic solar cells. In this study, the film formation kinetics of a nonfullerene active layer blend of PffBT4T-2OD and EH-IDTBR was investigated using in situ grazing-incidence small angle X-ray scattering and UV-vis spectroscopy. A mesoscale domain growth process with distinct molecular stacking and aggregation behavior was observed during solvent evaporation. The printed active layers exhibited specific crystallite structures dominated by PffBT4T-2OD and EH-IDTBR.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Pan Ding, Hongyu An, Philipp Zellner, Tianfu Guan, Jianyong Gao, Peter Mueller-Buschbaum, Bert M. Weckhuysen, Ward van der Stam, Ian D. Sharp
Summary: This study investigates the impact of catalyst ink formulation on CO2 electrolysis and finds that Nafion is essential for achieving stable product distributions. The content of Nafion and the solvent composition regulate the internal structure of Nafion coatings and the catalyst morphology, thus significantly impacting CO2 electrolysis performance.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lucas Stieglitz, Christina Geiger, Paula F. F. Grossmann, Moritz Kraenzlein, Katia Rodewald, Peter Mueller-Buschbaum, Bernhard Rieger
Summary: This work presents the fiber spinning of tailored isotactic polypropylene (iPP) by melt spinning and melt drawing, obtaining fibers with an adjustable diameter of 40-400 µm. The crystallinity of the fibers is increased through thermal annealing and analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). Comparing the mechanical performance, ultra-high molecular weight iPP (UHMW-iPP) fibers exhibit superior tensile strength (up to 400 MPa) compared to commercially available fibers (approximately 50 MPa). However, UHMW-iPP has a limited timeframe for extrusion, after which extrusion rupture occurs likely due to increased melt viscosity.
Review
Energy & Fuels
Kun Sun, Peter Mueller-Buschbaum
Summary: This article reviews the effects of moisture on halide perovskite films, including the degradation mechanism and methods to enhance stability. The benefits of incorporating a certain amount of water into perovskite films are discussed, as well as the moisture-induced structural degradation and decomposition process. The methods to enhance moisture stability, particularly 3D/2D heterostructures, are also highlighted.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Anna Lena Oechsle, Tobias Schoener, Lewin Deville, Tianxiao Xiao, Ting Tian, Apostolos Vagias, Sigrid Bernstorff, Peter Mueller-Buschbaum
Summary: The influence of humidity on the resistance properties of post-treated PEDOT:PSS films was investigated. It was found that elevated humidity increased the resistance of reference samples without post-treatment, while the post-treated samples showed a reverse behavior. Morphological changes in the film, such as increased PEDOT domain distances, were observed with in situ GISAXS measurements. This led to a deterioration in interdomain hole transport and a rise in resistance. Additionally, EIS measurements revealed additional contributions of ionic charge carriers in the post-treated PEDOT:PSS films.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Zheng Fang, Huawei Xu, Qiang Xu, LiuBang Meng, Nan Lu, Renhong Li, Peter Mueller-Buschbaum, Qi Zhong
Summary: Inspired by the transpiration in tree stem, a multi-scale micro-nano channel structure was formed by directional freezing, redox polymerization, and nanoparticles-induced porosity in a hybrid P(AAm/DA)-Ag/MgO hydrogel coating cross-linked on microfiber-based polyurethane. This structure significantly increased the specific surface area and enabled efficient formaldehyde removal by the hydrogels and degradation by the Ag/MgO nanoparticles. The cross-linked hybrid hydrogel coating on polyurethane also demonstrated good anti-bacterial capability.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shahidul Alam, Haya Aldosari, Christopher E. Petoukhoff, Tomas Vary, Wejdan Althobaiti, Maryam Alqurashi, Hua Tang, Jafar I. Khan, Vojtech Nadazdy, Peter Mueller-Buschbaum, Gregory C. Welch, Frederic Laquai
Summary: This study investigates the thermally-induced degradation of organic photovoltaic devices and its effect on their optical properties, photophysics, and morphology. The results show that the degradation limits the open-circuit voltage and fill factor of the devices, while the short-circuit current density is only slightly affected. Energy-resolved electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements reveal a higher energy barrier for charge transfer in the degraded samples. Furthermore, the study finds that field-dependent charge generation significantly limits device performance.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Frank Hartmann, Martin Bitsch, Bart-Jan Niebuur, Marcus Koch, Tobias Kraus, Christian Dietz, Robert W. Stark, Christopher R. Everett, Peter Mueller-Buschbaum, Oliver Janka, Markus Gallei
Summary: This study synthesized a high-molecular-weight polystyrene-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) block copolymer as a soft matrix to fabricate nanocomposites containing magnetic nanoparticles. The influence of different ratios of PMMA-coated FePt nanoparticles on the self-assembled morphology was investigated. Statistical analysis revealed that the particles mainly self-assembled inside the PMMA phase at low particle concentrations, while higher particle ratios had a negative effect on the morphology. The magnetic addressability of the nanoparticles inside the nanocomposite films was confirmed using bimodal magnetic force microscopy.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Manuel A. Reus, Ahmed Krifa, Quinten A. Akkerman, Alexander Biewald, Zehua Xu, David P. Kosbahn, Christian L. Weindl, Jochen Feldmann, Achim Hartschuh, Peter Mueller-Buschbaum
Summary: Printing the active layer of (Cs:FA)PbI3-based nanocrystal solar cells using slot-die coating technique improves the processability and charge transport, and shows a proof-of-concept feasibility for solar cell applications with a median power conversion efficiency of 6.39%.
ADVANCED OPTICAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Marie Betker, Constantin Harder, Elisabeth Erbes, Julian Eliah Heger, Alexandros Efraim Alexakis, Benedikt Sochor, Qing Chen, Matthias Schwartzkopf, Volker Koerstgens, Peter Mueller-Buschbaum, Konrad Schneider, Simone Agnes Techert, L. Daniel Soderberg, Stephan V. Roth
Summary: In this study, researchers evaluate the suitability of two types of inks containing silver nanowires for the fabrication of cellulose-based silver nanowire electrodes. The results show that the ink containing cellulose nanofibrils has lower sheet resistance, lower surface roughness, shorter fabrication time, and better mechanical and long-term stability compared to the other type of ink. The mixed ink of silver nanowires and cellulose nanofibrils is found to be suitable for the fast fabrication of highly conductive organic nanoelectronics on an industrial scale.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mirjam Hofmaier, Julian E. Heger, Sarah Lentz, Simona Schwarz, Peter Mueller-Buschbaum, Thomas Scheibel, Andreas Fery, Martin Mueller
Summary: This study investigated the influence of the variation in the number of repeating sequence motives on protein folding within eADF4(Cx) films. The results provided new insights into the structure formation and film properties of intrinsically disordered protein systems.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Suo Tu, Ting Tian, Apostolos Vagias, Linus F. Huber, Liangzhen Liu, Suzhe Liang, Roland A. Fischer, Sigrid Bernstorff, Peter Mueller-Buschbaum
Summary: This study achieves highly tailorable conduction of PEDOT:PSS by regulating the electronic and ionic contribution using additive engineering. By investigating the charge transport mechanisms and their correlations with morphological alterations, the conductivity evolution of the materials under different humidity conditions is revealed.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Anna Lena Oechsle, Tobias Schoener, Christina Geiger, Suo Tu, Peixi Wang, Robert Cubitt, Peter Mueller-Buschbaum
Summary: The conductivity properties of the conductive polymer blend PEDOT:PSS are investigated under the influences of ionic liquid treatment and ambient humidity. The results show that the ionic conductivity of the IL-treated PEDOT:PSS films is enhanced by the intake of water molecules, while the electronic conductivity of all PEDOT:PSS films decreases with increasing humidity.
