54 cm² Large-Area Flexible Organic Solar Modules with Efficiency Above 13

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Organic Electronics
• Renewable Energy

Background:

• Large-area flexible organic solar cells (OSCs) are crucial for portable power but suffer from lower efficiency compared to small-area devices.
• Developing efficient and stable flexible electrodes is key to overcoming this performance gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop efficient large-area flexible organic solar cells (OSCs) and modules.
• To investigate the properties of a novel silver nanowire:zinc-chelated polyethylenimine (AgNWs:PEI-Zn) composite electrode for flexible devices.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of large-area flexible OSCs and modules using a solution-processed AgNWs:PEI-Zn composite electrode.
• Characterization of the electrode's surface roughness, optoelectronic, and mechanical properties.
• Validation of the electrode in flexible OSCs and quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs).

Main Results:

• Achieved power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 13.1% for 6 cm² and 12.6% for 10 cm² flexible OSCs.
• Demonstrated a flexible module with 13.2% PCE over 54 cm².
• Flexible OSCs reached 16.1% PCE, and flexible QLEDs showed 13.3% external quantum efficiency.
• The AgNWs:PEI-Zn electrode exhibited low surface roughness and good optoelectronic/mechanical properties.

Conclusions:

• The novel AgNWs:PEI-Zn composite electrode enables high-efficiency large-area flexible OSCs and modules.
• This electrode technology is suitable for various flexible electronic applications, including solar cells and QLEDs.
• The developed flexible module can function as a power source, demonstrated by charging a mobile phone.