Fully Solution-Processed Inverted Polymer Solar Cells with Laminated Nanowire Electrodes

Abstract

We demonstrate organic photovoltaic cells in which every layer is deposited by solution processing on opaque metal substrates, with efficiencies similar to those obtained in conventional device structures on transparent substrates. The device architecture is enabled by solution-processed, laminated silver nanowire films serving as the top transparent anode. The cells are based on the regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) and C(61) butyric acid methyl ester bulk heterojunction and reach an efficiency of 2.5% under 100 mW/cm(2) of AM 1.5G illumination. The metal substrates are adequate barriers to moisture and oxygen, in contrast to transparent plastics that have previously been used, giving rise to the possibility of roll-to-roll solution-processed solar cells that are packaged by lamination to glass substrates, combining the cost advantage of roll-to-roll processing with the barrier properties of glass and metal foil.

Single-walled carbon nanotube transparent conductive films fabricated by reductive dissolution and spray coating for organic photovoltaics

“…[1][2][3][4][5] Several transparent conducting films (TCFs) have emerged as potential replacements for ITO, including conducting polymers, 6 silver nanowires, 7 graphene, 5,8 and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). SWNTs are a promising alternative to ITO due to the great abundance of carbon; the potential for cost reduction due to economies of scale; exceptional flexibility and conductivity; and the ability to deposit nanotube networks from solution using additive, low-temperature printing and coating processes.…”

Silver nanowire networks: Physical properties and potential integration in solar cells

“…[21][22][23][24] As mentioned, high haze factors result in light scattering into the device and increases the effective absorption cross section. The ability of AgNW networks to produce high haze networks while maintaining sufficient electro-optical properties shows the real potential to integrate them into solar cells.…”

“…The ability of AgNW networks to produce high haze networks while maintaining sufficient electro-optical properties shows the real potential to integrate them into solar cells. Gaynor et al [23] 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 demonstrated an increase of approximately 10% in conversion efficiency of bulk organic hetero-junction solar cells, by using a AgNW composite electrode as compared to an ITO standard (ɳ =3.4% using ITO on plastic and ɳ =3.8% for Ag nanowire composite). Taking advantage of the metal nanowire network transparency in the infra-red region of the spectrum Chen et al [22] created polymer solar cells that were semi-transparent in the visible region and had an ɳ ≈4%.…”

Silver Nanowire Networks as a Transparent Printable Electrode for Organic Photovoltaic Cells

“…[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] However, in these AgNW transparent electrodes, two critical issues are recognized for the OPV cell applications: weak contacts between AgNWs and piled-up junctions at cross points, which lead to low conductivity and rough surface of AgNW films, respectively. [21][22][23][24][25][26] Actually, when we fabricated standard OPV cells on AgNW transparent electrodes prepared by the conventional air-dried heating method, no active cell was obtained owing to the current leakage of inter-electrodes as described in our previous paper. 27 We have recently reported a new fabrication method of AgNW films based on a mechanical modest-pressing process and have preliminarily demonstrated their application to a transparent electrode.…”