Fully Printed and Industrially Scalable Semitransparent Organic Photovoltaic Modules: Navigating through Material and Processing Constraints

Abstract

While the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic photovoltaics (OPV) on small‐area lab cells has rapidly increased during the last few years, the performance on module level and the availability of OPV modules on the market is still limited, primarily due to specific constraints imposed by the industrial production process. This work deals with the upscaling process of latest‐generation OPV from small‐area lab cells to fully solution‐processed modules, which are compatible to industrial roll‐to‐roll (R2R) printing. We demonstrate this transfer step by step from material selection and process optimization for every single layer of the stack (photoactive layer, charge transporting layers, and solution‐processed top electrode) – including long‐term stability investigations (thermal and light) – to scaling up the device area by a factor of >100. Thus, a semitransparent OPV module with 10.8 % PCE on 10.2 cm² active area is achieved, which is among the highest performances for semitransparent, fully solution‐processed OPV modules. The individual developments all meet the requirements for industrial R2R printing (green solvents, processing in air, annealing ≤ 140 °C etc.), which ensures that both the optimized layer stack and the fabrication process are fully scalable and easily transferable to large‐scale production.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Advancements in Photovoltaic Cell Materials: Silicon, Organic, and Perovskite Solar Cells

“…Transitioning from small-area lab cells to large-scale, industrially viable OPV modules presents significant challenges. Wachsmuth and colleagues [ 85 ] explored the upscaling of OPVs from small-area lab cells to solution-processed modules that are compatible with industrial roll-to-roll (R2R) printing. This process involved meticulous material selection and optimization of each layer in the OPV stack, including the photoactive and charge-transporting layers, as well as the solution-processed top electrode.…”

“…Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have rapidly emerged as a promising photovoltaic technology, primarily due to their excellent optoelectronic properties and ease of fabrication [ 87 ]. A review by Yang et al [ 85 ] focuses on the advancements of all-inorganic CsPbX 3 perovskites, known for their excellent optoelectronic properties and stability, with applications in electronic devices. The power conversion efficiency of CsPbX 3 perovskite solar cells has remarkably increased from 2.9% in 2015 to 21.0%.…”

“…However, the landscape is gradually evolving with the advent of new materials and technologies, among which perovskite and organic photovoltaic (OPV) solar cells stand out due to their promising features. Despite their potential, perovskite and OPV technologies currently occupy a small fraction of the global PV market, a status reflecting both their nascent stage of development and the challenges that they face in terms of scalability, stability, and integration into the existing energy infrastructure [ 85 , 92 ].…”

“…OPVs have carved out niche applications where their unique properties offer distinct benefits, such as in building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs) and portable electronic devices. Despite these advancements and a steady improvement in efficiencies, reaching over 10% for some OPV systems, their market share remains small compared to conventional PV technologies [ 85 ]. The primary challenges hindering OPV market penetration include their lower efficiency relative to silicon and perovskite solar cells, issues with operational stability, and the scaling up of production processes.…”

“…A key limiting factor for OPVs is their lower thermal and photochemical stability compared to inorganic semiconductors [ 124 ]. This reduced stability is often attributed to the presence of highly reactive double bonds and weaker intermolecular forces [ 85 ]. Despite these limitations, substantial efforts have been dedicated to the development of OPVs.…”