Integration of a silk fibroin based film as a luminescent down-shifting layer in ITO-free organic solar cells

Prosa, Mario; Sagnella, Anna; Posati, Tamara; Tessarolo, Marta; Bolognesi, Margherita; Cavallini, Susanna; Toffanin, Stefano; Benfenati, Valentina; Seri, Mirko; Ruani, G.; Muccini, Michele; Zamboni, R.

doi:10.1039/c4ra08390c

Cited by 32 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…2 This exists primarily in the Silk I structure. 9 Utilising the different structures, silk broin can be used in organic solar cells, 10 corneal repair, 11 organic conductors, 12 drug delivery, 13 tissue regeneration, 14 and wound healing. The challenges encountered include the maintenance of high-concentrations of silk solution without the premature formation of b-sheet structures.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of the hydrophilic–lipophilic environment on the structure of silk fibroin protein

Zhang

et al. 2015

J. Mater. Chem. B

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The present study examines the influence of the hydrophilic-lipophilic environment, mediated by small molecules, on the structural changes in silk protein fibroin. Small molecules mediate the various hydrophilic-lipophilic balances (HLBs) that impact the organisation of silk protein chains. Changes in the silk fibroin structure due to additives are related to the HLB value. At HLB > 10, silk fibroin primarily forms Silk I crystalline structures. Small molecules with HLB < 8.9 primarily induce the formation of Silk II crystalline structures. When 8.9 < HLB < 10, the crystalline structure of silk is related to the content of small molecules. The Silk I structure is primarily formed when the content of small molecules is low, whereas the Silk II structure is formed when the small molecule content is high. The structure of silk fibroin is maintained by regulating the HLB in the fibroin environment. This type of control for the functional design of materials may play a role in fine-tuning the biomaterial properties of silk fibroin protein.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of the hydrophilic–lipophilic environment on the structure of silk fibroin protein

Zhang

et al. 2015

J. Mater. Chem. B

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“…Recently, laboratory-scale bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells have reached the milestone of 11% [4], through a synergic development of increasingly high performing photoactive materials [5][6][7][8][9], understanding of the morphological film nanostructure [10,11] and device structure optimization [12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. However, the achievement of high performance has little technological impact if the resulting device lifetime is unsuitable for the technological requirements.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting thermal stability of organic solar cells through an easy and fast capacitance measurement

Tessarolo

Guerrero

Gedefaw

et al. 2015

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

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Degradation of Organic Photovoltaic (OPV) devices is currently a topic under intense research as it is one of the main limitations towards the commercialization of this technology. Morphological changes at both active layer and interfaces with the outer contacts are believed to determine main key issues to be overcome. In-line techniques are essential to rule out any effect arising during sample fabrication.Unfortunately, the number of physical techniques able to provide morphological information on complete and operational devices is certainly limited. In this work, we study the thermal degradation of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells composed by different donor polymers with techniques developed to provide in-situ information on operational devices. Capacitance measurement as a function of temperature monitors the electrical integrity of the active layer and provides the threshold temperature (T MAX ) at which the whole device becomes thermally unstable. We found a direct correlation between the threshold temperature T MAX , obtained by capacitance-temperature measurements on complete OPV devices, and the power conversion efficiency decay measured at 85°C. Devices show to be thermal stable when the temperature of the thermal stress is below the T MAX , while above the T MAX evident changes in the active layer or at the active layer/electrode interface are also detected by confocal fluorescence microscopy. The capacitance method gives precious guidelines to predict the thermal stability of BHJ solar cells using accelerated and easy tests.

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“…A common feature of all these compounds is the presence of free carboxylic groups exposed on the layer surface that make them strongly hydrophilic and able to interact with polar exfoliating agents like alkylamines. The exfoliation of layered phosphonates in single, or few layers, thick nanosheets has been successfully carried out in some compounds with Cu, Zr and lanthanide ions …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The exfoliation of layered phosphonates in single, or few layers, thick nanosheets has been successfully carried out in some compounds with Cu, [22] Zr [23] and lanthanide ions. [24] Herein we report on the synthesis of an ovel layeredp hosphonate based on yttrium and N-phosphonomethyl(glycine), (H 3 L) and of formulaY (H 2 L)(HL) obtained as NP by using aM W assisted syntheticp rocedure. Owing to their physical, chemical and optical characteristics, the newly synthesized NP were good candidates to be applied as light scattering materials in solar cell technology.I na ddition, the newly synthesized Yphosphonate was doped with as mall amount of Tb III ,l eading to luminescentN P. This enabled the resulting new NP/PE-DOT:PSS composite to function as both scattering and luminescent down-shifting layer (LDS), [25] potentially enhancing the photocurrent of the solarcell by both increasing (through scattering) and widening (through down-conversion of light) its spectralr esponse.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Layered Tb‐Doped Yttrium Carboxyphosphonate Nanocrystals as Efficient Filler for PEDOT:PSS Composite Films

et al. 2017

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A layered yttrium phosphonate based on N‐(phosphonomethyl)glycine (H3L) and of formula Y(PO3CH2NHCH2COOH)(HPO3CH2NHCH2COOH) was synthesized in mild hydrothermal conditions. Its crystal structure was first determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Then, the synthetic parameters were changed in order to reduce the particle size of the compound. The use of microwave (MW) irradiation during the synthesis allowed a) to obtain the compound in form of nanoparticles (NP) in the 50–300 nm range dispersed in water, b) to strongly reduce the reaction time by a factor 150, and c) to successfully introduce into the structure small amounts of a luminescent ion like terbium(III) as an isomorphic substituent of yttrium(III). The obtained NP were used to prepare composite materials by dispersing them in poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). The resulting optical, photophysical, morphological and electrical properties of modified and pristine PEDOT:PSS films were investigated and compared, in order to test the potential use of Y(H2L)(HL) NP as luminescent downshifting materials in optoelectronic devices.

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Integration of a silk fibroin based film as a luminescent down-shifting layer in ITO-free organic solar cells

Abstract: A bio-derived silk-fibroin film doped with a luminescent dye and its application as luminescent down-shifting layer in organic solar cells.

Cited by 32 publications

References 64 publications

The influence of the hydrophilic–lipophilic environment on the structure of silk fibroin protein

The influence of the hydrophilic–lipophilic environment on the structure of silk fibroin protein

Predicting thermal stability of organic solar cells through an easy and fast capacitance measurement

Layered Tb‐Doped Yttrium Carboxyphosphonate Nanocrystals as Efficient Filler for PEDOT:PSS Composite Films

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