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Updated: Apr 5, 2026
Printing Fabrication of Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells and In Situ Morphology Characterization
Published on: January 29, 2017
Flow-enhanced solution printing of all-polymer solar cells
Ying Diao1, Yan Zhou1, Tadanori Kurosawa2
11] Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA [2] Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Sciences, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA.
A novel printing blade design enhances polymer crystallization and morphology in solution-coated solar cells. This breakthrough improves device performance and reduces variation, paving the way for more efficient and viable solar technology.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Renewable Energy
- Polymer Science
Background:
- Controlling morphology in solution-coated solar cells is crucial for device performance and commercialization.
- All-polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells face challenges in achieving optimal phase separation during printing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a new method for controlling phase separation in solution-printed solar cell materials.
- To enhance the morphology and performance of all-polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells through innovative printing techniques.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a microstructured printing blade to engineer fluid flow during solution coating.
- Investigated the hypothesis of flow-induced polymer crystallization to guide the design.
- Applied the method to all-polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells as a model system.
Main Results:
- Achieved approximately 90% increase in donor thin film crystallinity.
- Reduced the size of microphase-separated donor and acceptor domains.
- Significantly improved all solar cell device performance metrics, including short-circuit current, fill factor, and open-circuit voltage.
Conclusions:
- The developed fluid flow design effectively controls morphology in solution-printed solar cells.
- The method leads to enhanced device performance and reduced variability, increasing commercial viability.
- The simplicity and versatility of the design suggest broad applicability beyond all-polymer solar cells.
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