Photovoltaic Properties of a Conjugated Copolymer Blending with Flame-Made ZnO Nanoparticles

The synthesis, characterizations, and photovoltaic studies of copolymer based on 4,4-dodecylpentaleno[1,2-b]dithiophene (PC12PDT) and 5-octyl-5H-thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione (TPD) were described. The PC12PDTTPD copolymer achieved a high open circuit voltage (Voc) of ~ 0.8-0.9 V. Bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells were fabricated by using chlorobenzene with 1% chloronapthalene as the solvent additive. The ZnO nanoparticles, produced by flame spray pyrolysis (FSP), were dispersed in 1-butanol. After that, it was loaded into the devices along with [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) used as the electron acceptor. From the results, it was found that the ZnO nanoparticles with different amount had the effect on the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the solar cells. The PCE obtained in this study (3.33%) was found in the 5.45 wt% ZnO loaded device. This was an improvement as compared to that of the standard device (2.45%).

Download Full-text

Modeling of Open-Circuit Voltage of Phenyl C61-Butyric Acid Methyl Ester-Like Based Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells

Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology ◽

10.1166/jnn.2015.10740 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 15 (12) ◽

pp. 9960-9965 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Rodrigo M. Ferreira ◽

Augusto Batagin-Neto ◽

Francisco C. Lavarda

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Methyl Ester ◽

Butyric Acid ◽

Open Circuit Voltage ◽

Bulk Heterojunction ◽

Acid Methyl Ester ◽

Open Circuit ◽

Heterojunction Solar Cells ◽

Acid Methyl ◽

Butyric Acid Methyl Ester

Download Full-text

Thickness Optimization and Photovoltaic Properties of Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells Based on PFB–PCBM Layer

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13225915 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (22) ◽

pp. 5915

Author(s):

Sayed Izaz Uddin ◽

Muhammad Tahir ◽

Fakhra Aziz ◽

Mahidur R. Sarker ◽

Fida Muhammad ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Indium Tin Oxide ◽

Bulk Heterojunction ◽

Acid Methyl Ester ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Open Circuit ◽

Active Layer Thickness ◽

Photovoltaic Properties ◽

Effective Spin ◽

Bhj Device

We report on the fabrication and study of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells based on a novel combination of a donor–acceptor poly(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-co-(N,N0-diphenyl)-N,N′di(p-butyl-oxy-pheyl)-1,4-diamino-benzene) (PFB) and [6, 6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) blend composed of 1:1 by volume. indium tin oxide (ITO)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)/PFB–PCBM/Ag BHJ solar cells are fabricated by a facile cost-effective spin-coating technique. The thickness of the active film (PFB–PCBM) plays an important role in the efficiency of light absorption, exciton creation, and dissociation into free charges that results in higher power conversion efficiency (PCE). In order to optimize the PCE as a function of active layer thickness, a number of solar cells are fabricated with different thicknesses of PFB–PCBM films at 120, 140, 160, 180, and 200 nm, and their photovoltaic characteristics are investigated. It is observed that the device with a 180 nm thick film demonstrates a maximum PCE of 2.9% with a fill factor (FF) of 53% under standard testing conditions (STC) (25 °C, 1.5 AM global, and 100 mW/cm2). The current–voltage (I-V) properties of the ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PFB–PCBM/Ag BHJ devices are also measured in dark conditions to measure and understand different parameters of the heterojunction. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectroscopy for the PFB–PCBM film of optimal thickness (180 nm) are carried out to understand the effect of surface morphology on the PCE and bandgap of the blend, respectively. The AFM micrographs show a slightly non-uniform and rough surface with an average surface roughness (Ra) of 29.2 nm. The UV-vis measurements of the PFB–PCBM blend exhibit a reduced optical bandgap of ≈2.34 eV as compared to that of pristine PFB (2.88 eV), which results in an improved absorption of light and excitons generation. The obtained results for the ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PFB–PCBM (180 nm)/Ag BHJ device are compared with the ones previously reported for the P3HT–PCBM blend with the same film thickness. It is observed that the PFB–PCBM-based BHJ device has shown two times higher open circuit voltage (Voc) and, hence, enhanced the efficiency.

Download Full-text

Temperature dependence of HOMO-LUMO levels and open circuit voltage for P3HT:PCBM organic solar cells

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/opl.2012.512 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 1360 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yang Shen ◽

Louis Scudiero ◽

Mool C. Gupta

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Energy Level ◽

Temperature Dependence ◽

Organic Solar Cells ◽

Photoelectron Spectroscopy ◽

Open Circuit Voltage ◽

Bulk Heterojunction ◽

Acid Methyl Ester ◽

Open Circuit ◽

Temperature Range

ABSTRACTIn this study, the open circuit voltage (VOC) of poly (3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells was measured at temperatures ranging from 300 K to 400 K. The temperature dependence of the vacuum shift and of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level of P3HT and PCBM were measured by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) in the same temperature range. The temperature dependence of the absorption edge was also studied in the same temperature range to obtain the temperature variation of the optical band gap energy (Eg). The measured VOC of the devices showed a clear decreasing trend with increasing operating temperature and the total decrease was found to be about 0.1 V. Although the origin of VOC is still not fully understood it is generally believed that the energy level offset between the HOMO of the donor and the LUMO of the acceptor minus the exciton binding energy (0.3 eV) directly determines the value of VOC. However, by utilizing the measured values of the HOMO for the P3HT (donor) and of the LUMO for the PCBM (acceptor), we have found that the calculated values of VOC and its temperature dependence do not agree with the measured VOC values. This indicates that factors other than the offset between the HOMO of the donor and the LUMO of the acceptor materials are impacting VOC.

Download Full-text

Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells with Large Open-Circuit Voltage: Electron Transfer with Small Donor-Acceptor Energy Offset (Adv. Mater. 20/2011)

Advanced Materials ◽

10.1002/adma.201190074 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 23 (20) ◽

pp. 2271-2271 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Xiong Gong ◽

Minghong Tong ◽

Fulvio G. Brunetti ◽

Junghwa Seo ◽

Yanming Sun ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Electron Transfer ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Open Circuit Voltage ◽

Bulk Heterojunction ◽

Open Circuit ◽

Heterojunction Solar Cells ◽

Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells ◽

Voltage Electron ◽

Donor Acceptor

Download Full-text

Direct AFM-based nanoscale mapping and tomography of open-circuit voltages for photovoltaics

Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology ◽

10.3762/bjnano.9.171 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. 1802-1808 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Katherine Atamanuk ◽

Justin Luria ◽

Bryan D Huey

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Open Circuit Voltage ◽

Short Circuit ◽

Photovoltaic Performance ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Short Circuit Current ◽

Open Circuit ◽

Photovoltaic Properties ◽

Order Of Magnitude ◽

Individual Grains

The nanoscale optoelectronic properties of materials can be especially important for polycrystalline photovoltaics including many sensor and solar cell designs. For thin film solar cells such as CdTe, the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current are especially critical performance indicators, often varying between and even within individual grains. A new method for directly mapping the open-circuit voltage leverages photo-conducting AFM, along with an additional proportional-integral-derivative feedback loop configured to maintain open-circuit conditions while scanning. Alternating with short-circuit current mapping efficiently provides complementary insight into the highly microstructurally sensitive local and ensemble photovoltaic performance. Furthermore, direct open-circuit voltage mapping is compatible with tomographic AFM, which additionally leverages gradual nanoscale milling by the AFM probe essentially for serial sectioning. The two-dimensional and three-dimensional results for CdTe solar cells during in situ illumination reveal local to mesoscale contributions to PV performance based on the order of magnitude variations in photovoltaic properties with distinct grains, at grain boundaries, and for sub-granular planar defects.

Download Full-text