Organic photovoltaics (OPVs, or polymer solar cells) are particularly attractive because they offer many avenues for improvement of device performance, from the light absorbing materials, to the electrode characteristics. Recently, high power conversion efficiencies (>7 %) have been demonstrated for new low band gap conjugated materials, which point to a bright future for OPVs, and their hybrid nanoparticle cousins. In order to scale-up device size, new approaches towards optimization must be considered that are very different from those used for small scale, spin-coated samples. In this talk, we will discuss new approaches towards thinking about how to produce high efficiency OPVs via spray-coating that integrate self-assembly to control the electrode interfaces, low band gap polymers in the light-absorbing bulk heterojunction, and insertion of plasmonic materials at different interfaces within the device. Preformed self-assembled nanostructures, and in-situ self-assembly at interfaces and in the bulk heterojunction, will be described, followed by their influence on device efficiency and performance. 

Using self-assembly to build stable and scalable hybrid organic photovoltaics

245th National Meeting (2013)

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