Fabrication of Spray-Coated Semitransparent Organic Solar Cells

Abstract

We investigated a promising, low-cost method for fabrication of semitransparent organic solar cells by mass production. The active layer of the organic solar cells was added by spray coating with a dual action airbrush. The solution for the active layer was prepared from a rigorously blended poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) and (6,6)-Phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) in 1,2-dichlorobenzene, and the surface morphology of the spray-coated active layer depending on the concentration of the P3HT and PCBM was investigated. The semitransparency achieved, came from the use of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as the conductive polymer electrode. For comparison, spin-coated solar cells were also fabricated. Power-conversion efficiency and transparency was achieved from the lower cost spray-coating method that was comparable to those by the traditional spin-coating method. The best spray-coated solar cell exhibited power-conversion efficiency of 1.9% (average or 1.7%) while the best spin-coated solar cell was 2.0% (average of 1.6%), when both were measured under the AM1.5G spectrum 100 mW/cm 2 light. Transmittance of the spray-coated solar cell was 52.2% while that of the spin-coated solar cell was 51.2%.INDEX TERMS Spray-coating, organic solar cell, semitransparent, inverted, conductive polymer.

Overview of printing and coating techniques in the production of organic photovoltaic cells

“…Spray coating has been used in several reports in the literature to prepare many of the layers OPV, including the active layer P3HT:PCBM in References 56,91,117,119,120, P3HT:ICBA in Reference 113, PFB:F8BT in Reference 118, PffBBT4T:PC70BM in Reference 95, of the AgNWs anode in References 113,121, hole transport layer PEDOT:PSS in References 96,113,117, and electron transport layer ZnO in References 95,117, and V 2 O 5 in Reference 95.…”

Fully vacuum‐free semitransparent polymer solar cells for power‐generating window with pure achromatic appealing

“…Generally, an aqueous poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) solution with additives (e.g., ethylene glycol or dimethyl sulfoxide), which can be simply coated or sprayed on top of the BHJ polymer layer, has been widely studied as a top electrode in ST polymer solar cell devices. [21][22][23][24] The silver nanowire (AgNW) dispersed solution is another promising material for transparent top electrodes with enhanced sheet resistance. By introducing AgNW-based composite transparent conductors, Yang's group demonstrated an ST polymer solar cell with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.02% and an average light transmission of 61% over the 400-650-nm range.…”

“…With respect to this approach, instead of the thin metal layer, a conductive polymer material can be used to implement a top electrode with the benefit of low‐cost solution processing and high flexibility. Generally, an aqueous poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)‐poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) solution with additives (e.g., ethylene glycol or dimethyl sulfoxide), which can be simply coated or sprayed on top of the BHJ polymer layer, has been widely studied as a top electrode in ST polymer solar cell devices 21–24 . The silver nanowire (AgNW) dispersed solution is another promising material for transparent top electrodes with enhanced sheet resistance.…”

Enhancement of resistive switching behavior of organic resistive random access memory devices through UV-Ozone treatment

“…The RS layer for the organic RRAM device can be composed of polymers, small organic molecules, and hybrid organic/inorganic nanocomposites [5][6][7]. Among the diverse organic materials, poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) and (6,6)-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), which are widely used in organic solar cell fabrication [8][9][10] were used in this study to form the RS layer of the RRAM device. Although P3HT is a donor semiconducting polymer material, it has a superior coordination of hetero-sulfur atoms, which could be beneficial for the formation of metallic filaments, facilitating conduction in the RS layer [11].…”