Hybrid graphene-metal oxide solution processed electron transport layers for large area high-performance organic photovoltaics.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Beliatis MJ
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4286003 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Hybrid graphene-metal oxide solution processed electron transport layers for large area high-performance organic photovoltaics.
Beliatis Michail J MJ Gandhi Keyur K KK Rozanski Lynn J LJ Rhodes Rhys R McCafferty Liam L Alenezi Mohammad R MR Alshammari Abdullah S AS Mills Christopher A CA Jayawardena K D G Imalka KD Henley Simon J SJ Silva S Ravi P SR
Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) 20140102 13
Solution processed core-shell nano-structures of metal oxide-reduced graphene oxide (RGO) are used as improved electron transport layers (ETL), leading to an enhancement in photocurrent charge transport in PCDTBT:PC70 BM for both single cell and module photovoltaic devices. As a result, the power conversion efficiency for the devices with RGO-metal oxides for ETL increases 8% in single cells and 20% in module devices. ...[more]
Similar Datasets
Project description:Organic electronics became an attractive alternative for practical applications in complementary logic circuits due to the unique features of organic semiconductors such as solution processability and ease of large-area manufacturing. Bulk heterojunctions (BHJ), consisting of a blend of two organic semiconductors of different electronic affinities, allow fabrication of a broad range of devices such as light-emitting transistors, light-emitting diodes, photovoltaics, photodetectors, ambipolar transistors and sensors. In this work, the charge carrier transport of BHJ films in field-effect transistors is switched from electron to hole domination upon processing and post-treatment. Low molecular weight n-type N,N'-bis(n-octyl)-(1,7&1,6)-dicyanoperylene-3,4:9,10-bis(dicarboximide) (PDI8-CN2) was blended with p-type poly[2,5-bis(3-tetradecylthiophene-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene] (PBTTT-C14) and deposited by spin-coating to form BHJ films. Systematic investigation of the role of rotation speed, solution temperature, and thermal annealing on thin film morphology was performed using atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering. It has been determined that upon thermal annealing the BHJ morphology is modified from small interconnected PDI8-CN2 crystals uniformly distributed in the polymer fraction to large planar PDI8-CN2 crystal domains on top of the blend film, leading to the switch from electron to hole transport in field-effect transistors.
| S-EPMC7709025 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Graphene quantum dots (GQDs), a newly emerging 0-dimensional graphene based material, have been widely exploited in optoelectronic devices due to their tunable optical and electronic properties depending on their functional groups. Moreover, the dispersibility of GQDs in common solvents depending on hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity can be controlled by chemical functionalization, which is particularly important for homogeneous incorporation into various polymer layers. Here we report that a surface-engineered GQD-incorporated polymer photovoltaic device shows enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE), where the oxygen-related functionalization of GQDs enabled good dispersity in aPSS hole extraction layer, leading to significantly improved short circuit current density (Jsc) value. To maximize the PCE of the device, hydrophobic GQDs that are hydrothermally reduced (rGQD) were additionally incorporated in a bulk-heterojunction layer, which is found to promote a synergistic effect with the GQD-incorporated hole extraction layer.
| S-EPMC4585740 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Zinc Oxide (ZnO) has been regarded as a promising electron transport layer (ETL) in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) owing to its high electron mobility. However, the acid-nonresistance of ZnO could destroy organic-inorganic hybrid halide perovskite such as methylammonium lead triiodide (MAPbI3) in PSCs, resulting in poor power conversion efficiency (PCE). It is demonstrated in this work that Nb2O5/ZnO films were deposited at room temperature with RF magnetron sputtering and were successfully used as double electron transport layers (DETL) in PSCs due to the energy band matching between Nb2O5 and MAPbI3 as well as ZnO. In addition, the insertion of Nb2O5 between ZnO and MAPbI3 facilitated the stability of the perovskite film. A systematic investigation of the ZnO deposition time on the PCE has been carried out. A deposition time of five minutes achieved a ZnO layer in the PSCs with the highest power conversion efficiency of up to 13.8%. This excellent photovoltaic property was caused by the excellent light absorption property of the high-quality perovskite film and a fast electron extraction at the perovskite/DETL interface.
| S-EPMC7911782 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Nowadays, the efficient, stable, and scalable conversion of solar energy into chemical fuels represents a great scientific, economic, and ethical challenge. Amongst the available candidate technologies, photoelectrochemical water-splitting potentially has the most promising technoeconomic trade-off between cost and efficiency. However, research on semiconductors and photoelectrode architectures suitable for H2 evolution has focused mainly on the use of fabrication techniques and inorganic materials that are not easily scalable. Here, we report for the first time an all solution-processed approach for the fabrication of hybrid organic/inorganic photocathodes based on organic semiconductor bulk heterojunctions that exhibit promising photoelectrochemical performance. The sequential deposition of inorganic material, charge-selective contacts, visible-light sensitive organic polymers, and earth-abundant, nonprecious catalyst by spin coating leads to state-of-the-art photoelectrochemical parameters, comprising a high onset potential [+0.602 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)] and a positive maximum power point (+0.222 V vs RHE), a photocurrent density as high as 5.25 mA/cm2 at 0 V versus RHE, an incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency at 0 V versus RHE of above 35%, and 100% faradaic efficiency for hydrogen production. The demonstrated all solution-processed hybrid photoelectrodes represent an eligible candidate for the scalable and low-cost solar-to-H2 conversion technology that embodies the feasibility requirements for large area, plant-scale applications.
| S-EPMC6640976 | biostudies-literature
Project description:In the ever-increasing energy demand scenario, the development of novel photovoltaic (PV) technologies is considered to be one of the key solutions to fulfil the energy request. In this context, graphene and related two-dimensional (2D) materials (GRMs), including nonlayered 2D materials and 2D perovskites, as well as their hybrid systems, are emerging as promising candidates to drive innovation in PV technologies. The mechanical, thermal, and optoelectronic properties of GRMs can be exploited in different active components of solar cells to design next-generation devices. These components include front (transparent) and back conductive electrodes, charge transporting layers, and interconnecting/recombination layers, as well as photoactive layers. The production and processing of GRMs in the liquid phase, coupled with the ability to "on-demand" tune their optoelectronic properties exploiting wet-chemical functionalization, enable their effective integration in advanced PV devices through scalable, reliable, and inexpensive printing/coating processes. Herein, we review the progresses in the use of solution-processed 2D materials in organic solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells, perovskite solar cells, quantum dot solar cells, and organic-inorganic hybrid solar cells, as well as in tandem systems. We first provide a brief introduction on the properties of 2D materials and their production methods by solution-processing routes. Then, we discuss the functionality of 2D materials for electrodes, photoactive layer components/additives, charge transporting layers, and interconnecting layers through figures of merit, which allow the performance of solar cells to be determined and compared with the state-of-the-art values. We finally outline the roadmap for the further exploitation of solution-processed 2D materials to boost the performance of PV devices.
| S-EPMC8559907 | biostudies-literature
Project description:A novel approach for the fabrication of ultra-smooth and highly bendable substrates consisting of metal grid-conducting polymers that are fully embedded into transparent substrates (ME-TCEs) was successfully demonstrated. The fully printed ME-TCEs exhibited ultra-smooth surfaces (surface roughness ~1.0?nm), were highly transparent (~90% transmittance at a wavelength of 550?nm), highly conductive (sheet resistance ~4????-1), and relatively stable under ambient air (retaining ~96% initial resistance up to 30 days). The ME-TCE substrates were used to fabricate flexible organic solar cells and organic light-emitting diodes exhibiting devices efficiencies comparable to devices fabricated on ITO/glass substrates. Additionally, the flexibility of the organic devices did not degrade their performance even after being bent to a bending radius of ~1?mm. Our findings suggest that ME-TCEs are a promising alternative to indium tin oxide and show potential for application toward large-area optoelectronic devices via fully printing processes.
| S-EPMC5093558 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The fabrication of solution-processed nontoxic mesoporous Bi2S3 structures is demonstrated and the suitability of these structures for use in hybrid solar cells investigated. Mesoporous Bi2S3 electrodes are prepared via thermal decomposition of a thin film composed of a bismuth xanthate single source precursor. The resultant Bi2S3 films are made up of regular needles with approximate dimensions of 50×500 nm, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The crystallinity of the Bi2S3 is found to be dependent on the annealing temperature, as determined by X-ray diffraction. The porous Bi2S3 films are infiltrated with the hole conductor P3HT to generate novel hybrid films, and laser-based transient absorption spectroscopy is used to interrogate the charge-separation reaction at the resulting Bi2S3/P3HT heterojunction. Specifically, optical excitation of the hybrid films results in efficient and long-lived charge separation (microsecond to millisecond timescale), thereby rendering such films suitable for the development of novel low-cost solar-energy conversion devices.
| S-EPMC4501321 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Organolead halide perovskites have attracted substantial attention because of their excellent physical properties, which enable them to serve as the active material in emerging hybrid solid-state solar cells. Here we investigate the phototransistors based on hybrid perovskite films and provide direct evidence for their superior carrier transport property with ambipolar characteristics. The field-effect mobilities for triiodide perovskites at room temperature are measured as 0.18 (0.17) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) for holes (electrons), which increase to 1.24 (1.01) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) for mixed-halide perovskites. The photoresponsivity of our hybrid perovskite devices reaches 320 A W(-1), which is among the largest values reported for phototransistors. Importantly, the phototransistors exhibit an ultrafast photoresponse speed of less than 10 μs. The solution-based process and excellent device performance strongly underscore hybrid perovskites as promising material candidates for photoelectronic applications.
| S-EPMC4569843 | biostudies-literature
Project description:A series of lead-halide based hybrid polyelectrolytes was prepared and used as interfacial layers in organic solar cells (OSCs) to explore their effect on the energy band structures and performance of OSCs. Nonconjugated polyelectrolytes based on ethoxylated polyethylenimine (PEIE) complexed with PbX2 (I, Br, and Cl) were prepared as polymeric analogs of the perovskite semiconductors CH3NH3PbX3. The organic/inorganic hybrid composites were deposited onto Indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates by solution processing, and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) measurements confirmed that the polyelectrolytes allowed the work function of the substrates to be controlled. In addition, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results showed that Pb(II) halide complexes were present in the thin film and that the Pb halide species did not bond covalently with the cationic polymer and confirmed the absence of additional chemical bonds. The composite ratio of organic and inorganic materials was optimized to improve the performance of OSCs. When PbBr2 was complexed with the PEIE material, the efficiency increased up to 3.567% via improvements in open circuit voltage and fill factor from the control device (0.3%). These results demonstrate that lead-halide based polyelectrolytes constitute hybrid interfacial layers which provide a novel route to control device characteristics via variation of the lead halide composition.
| S-EPMC7240626 | biostudies-literature
Project description:To achieve high-performance perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs), an appropriate functional layer beneath the perovskite emissive layer is significantly important to modulate the morphology of the perovskite film and to facilitate charge injection and transport in the device. Herein, for the first time, we report efficient n-i-p structured PeLEDs using solution-processed SnO2 as an electron transport layer. Three-dimensional perovskites, such as CH(NH2)2PbI3 and CH3NH3PbI3, are found to be more chemically compatible with SnO2 than with commonly used ZnO. In addition, SnO2 shows good transparency, excellent morphology and suitable energy levels. These properties make SnO2 a promising candidate in both three- and low-dimensional PeLEDs, among which a high external quantum efficiency of 7.9% has been realized. Furthermore, interfacial materials that are widely used to improve the device performances of ZnO-based PeLEDs are also applied on SnO2-based PeLEDs and their effects have been systematically studied. In contrast to ZnO, SnO2 modified by these interfacial materials shows detrimental effects due to photoluminescence quenching.
| S-EPMC6333275 | biostudies-literature