Markus Koppe

Influence of the bridging atom on the performance of a low-bandgap bulk heterojunction solar cell.

Bulk heterojunction solar cells have attracted considerable attention over the past several years due to their potential for low-cost photovoltaic technology. The possibility of manufacturing modules via a standard printing/coating method in a roll-to-roll process in combination with the use of low-cost materials will lead to a watt-peak price of less than 1 US

Transient Absorption Spectroscopy Studies on Polythiophene-Fullerene Bulk Heterojunction Organic Blend Films Sensitized with a Low-Bandgap Polymer

within the next few years. [1] Despite the low-cost potential, the power conversion efficiency of bulk heterojunction devices is low compared to inorganic solar cells. Efficiencies in the range of 5‐6% have been certified at NREL and AIST usually on devices with small active areas. [2] The current understanding of bulk heterojunction solar cells suggests that the maximum efficiency is in the range of 10‐12%. [3] Several reasons for the power conversion efficiency limitation have been identified. [1] Some of the prerequisites for achieving highest efficiencies are donor and acceptor materials with optimized energy levels [highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO)], efficient charge transport in the donor‐acceptor blend, efficient charge generation and limited recombination losses. Power conversion efficiency is strongly dependent on charge transport and charge generation, which are dominated by the phase behavior of the donor and acceptor molecules. The resulting, and often unfavorable, nanomorphology of this two-component blend limits the power conversion efficiency of bulk heterojunction solar cells. Precise control of the nanomorphology is very difficult and has been achieved only for a few systems. [4‐6] The relation between the chemical structure of donor and acceptor materials and the nanomorphology that they form when they are blended is currently not well understood, and as will be shown in this paper, minor changes in the chemical structure can cause major changes in the performance of the materials in organic solar cells. In this work we demonstrate the effect of replacing a carbon atom with a silicon atom on the main chain of the conjugated polymer. The approach has been used previously, and promising materials for field-effect transistors and organic solar cells have been demonstrated. [7‐9] We find that making this simple substitution in poly[2,6-(4,4-bis-(2-ethylhexyl)-4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b;3,4b 0 ]-dithiophene)-alt-4,7-(2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)] (PCPDTBT) yields a polysilole, e.g., poly[(4,4 0 -bis(2-ethylhexyl)dithieno[3,2b:2 0 ,3 0 -d]silole)-2,6-diyl-alt-(4,7-bis(2-thienyl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)-5,5 0 -diyl] (Si-PCPDTBT), with a higher crystallinity, improved charge transport properties, reduced bimolecular recombination, and a reduced formation of charge transfer complexes when blended with a fullerene derivative. This silole-based polymer is found to form a highly functional nanomorphology when blended with [6,6]-phenyl C71-butyric acid methyl ester (C70-PCBM), and solar cells prepared using this blend gave efficiencies of 5.2%, certified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. [1] The presented polymer is the first low-bandgap semiconducting polymer to have a certified efficiency of over 5%. The chemical structure of the subject polymer is shown in Figure 1. The material was synthesized following the procedure described previously. [10] The synthesis and properties of the carbon-bridged polymer have been described before. [11,12] Figure 2a shows the absorbance and photoluminescence (PL) spectra of a thin solid film of the pristine Si-bridged polymer and

Plastic Solar Cells Based on Novel PPE-PPV-Copolymers

Recently, the concept of near-infrared sensitization is successfully employed to increase the light harvesting in large-bandgap polymer-based solar cells. To gain deeper insights into the operation mechanism of ternary organic solar cells, a comprehensive understanding of charge transfer-charge transport in ternary blends is a necessity. Herein, P3HT:PCPDTBT:PCBM ternary blend films are investigated by transient absorption spectroscopy. Hole transfer from PCPDTBT-positive polarons to P3HT in the P3HT:PCPDTBT:PCBM 0.9:0.1:1 blend film can be visualized. This process evolves within 140 ps and is discussed with respect to the proposed charge-generation mechanisms.

Design Rules for Efficient Organic Solar Cells

ABSTRACT In this study plastic solar cells based on arylene-ethynylene/arylene-vinylene hybrid polymers in combination with the soluble fullerene PCBM (1-(3-methoxycarbonyl) propyl-1-phenyl [6 6]C61) reaching 2% AM 1.5 solar power conversion efficiency at 80 mW/cm2 are reported. The polymers used are DE105 (poly(-2,5-dioctyloxy-1,4-phenylene-diethynylene-2,5-dioctyloxy-1,4-phenylene-vinylene-2,5-di(2′-ethyl)hexyloxy-1,4-phenylene-vinylene)) and DE142 (poly(2,5-dioctyloxy-1,4-phenylene-ethynylene-9,10-anthracenylene-ethynylene-2,5-dioctyloxy-1,4-phenylene-vinylene-2,5-di(2′-ethyl)hexyloxy-1,4-phenylene-vinylene)), whose main difference lies in the additional anthracene group in the latter one. Comparing results from electrochemical characterizations with IV-measurements reveals a weak dependency of the maximum open circuit voltage on the molecular HOMO level of the polymer used. A coarse grained morphology of the active layers was found responsible for limiting the photocurrent, as shown by AFM measurements.

The Power-to-Gas Concept

There has been an intensive search for cost-effective photovoltaics since the development of the first solar cells in the 1950s [1-3]. Among all the alternative technologies to silicon-based pn-junction solar cells, organic solar cells are the approach that could lead to the most significant cost reduction [4]. The field of organic photovoltaics (OPV) is composed of organic/inorganic nanostructures, like the dyesensitized solar cell, multilayers of small organic molecules and mixtures of organic materials (bulk-heterojunction solar cell). A review of several so-called organic photovoltaic (OPV) technologies was recently presented [5].

Storage Options for Renewable Energy

This chapter gives an overview of the technological fundamentals of the Power-to-Gas concept. After a general introduction to the concept itself, efficiencies and synergy potentials of the Power-to-Gas technology are described. Furthermore, a very short introduction to similar concepts is given, as well as a view to the technological challenges and restrictions for integration of hydrogen into the natural gas grid. Due to the limited available space, only the main aspects are addressed with reference to further reading.

Design Rules for Donors in Bulk‐Heterojunction Solar Cells—Towards 10 % Energy‐Conversion Efficiency

In the recent years, the European energy policy has agreed on the increased integration of renewable energy sources in the energy system, and large efforts are being made to implement renewable energy. This tendency is not limited to the European market, but is a basic development in many regions. The energy policy is primarily based on climate change policy aims and demands, however further parameters are relevant in the portfolio of intentions for increasing the percentage of renewable energy sources, such as reduction of the import dependency and increasing the domestic value or price stability. To some extent, relatively high expansion rates in the implementation of energy systems based on renewable sources can be achieved, such as in Germany and China, for example.