High efficiency, excellent stability and air processability are all important factors to consider in endeavoring to push forward the real-world application of organic solar cells, which have been considered as the most promising candidate for indoor photovoltaics and flexible photovoltaics. The introduction of low bandgap, more robust organic materials is an attractive strategy.  In this talk, I will present some of our recent work on i) the use of a new air-stable low-bandgap ter-polymer (PDPPPTD), enabling the construction of high-efficiency, stable, air-processed solar cells; and ii) the construction of ternary organic solar cells by incorporating a stable non-fullerene acceptor, perylenediimide (PDI) flanked diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) π-conjugated small molecule (PDI-DPP-PDI) as the third component. In addition to showing how the power conversion efficiency and stability are enhanced with these strategies, I would also like to highlight the interesting use of photoinduced force microscopy coupled with infrared (IR) laser spectroscopy and the energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy in characterizing the morphology of organic solar cells, which can help understand solar cell performance and establish the morphology-property relationships. If time allows, I will also briefly report our recent progress on nanowire-enabled transparent conductive electrodes that are a critical component of flexible organic solar cells.

Development of stable, low- bandgap organic solar cells

ACS Fall 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.