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Updated: Jan 20, 2026
07:32
Printing Fabrication of Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells and In Situ Morphology Characterization
Published on: January 29, 2017
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Aggregation-Induced Multilength Scaled Morphology Enabling 11.76% Efficiency in All-Polymer Solar Cells Using
Lei Zhu1,2, Wenkai Zhong2, Chaoqun Qiu1
1Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, P. R. China.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|August 29, 2019
Summary
High-efficiency all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) achieve 11.76% power conversion efficiency using environmentally friendly solvents and slot die printing. This breakthrough enables scalable, printed solar device fabrication with improved morphology and carrier transport.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Organic Electronics
- Renewable Energy
Background:
- All-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) offer superior stability and processability for large-scale applications.
- Current spin-coating methods achieve over 11% efficiency, paving the way for printed devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential of environmentally friendly solvents and printing techniques for high-efficiency all-PSCs.
- To understand the relationship between solvent properties, film morphology, and device performance.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of PTzBI-Si:N2200 all-PSCs using 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (MTHF) and slot die printing.
- Analysis of film formation kinetics and morphology.
- Comparison with devices processed using high-boiling point chlorobenzene.
Main Results:
- Achieved a record power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 11.76% for all-PSCs using MTHF and slot die printing.
- Demonstrated significantly lower PCE (<2%) with chlorobenzene processing.
- Identified that volatile solvents like MTHF rapidly freeze morphology, creating a fibril network beneficial for charge transport.
Conclusions:
- Volatile solvents and optimized morphology are crucial for high-performance printed all-PSCs.
- The developed method is significant for the future large-scale manufacturing of efficient printed solar cells.
- This research highlights the potential of MTHF in advancing all-PSC technology.
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