Improving the Operational Stability of PBDTTTz‐4 Polymer Solar Cells Modules by Electrode Modification

Abstract

PBDTTTz‐4 is employed in the ambient manufacturing of fully Roll‐to‐Roll organic solar cell modules. Modules are manufactured using a novel silver nanowire electrode or a previously reported carbon electrode. The average PCE of carbon modules (3.07%) and AgNW modules (1.46%) shows that PBDTTTz‐4 is a good candidate for upscaling. Stability measurements following the ISOS standards are used to compare the lifetime of the different modules. In all tests but one, the carbon modules are less stable. The higher stability of AgNW is attributed to the removal of the PEDOT:PSS in the front electrode. Finally during indoor light tests, a new degradation phenomenon is observed where bubbles are formed inside the modules contrary to previous reports of bubble formation by thermal expansion of trapped gas inside the barrier.

Inside or Outside? Linking Outdoor and Indoor Lifetime Tests of ITO‐Free Organic Photovoltaic Devices for Greenhouse Applications

“…This effect is attributed to the combination of higher illumination and temperature as the recovery of AgNW‐OPV starts when both increase. The same effect is not observed in C‐OPV samples, indicating that it can be also associated with the presence of Ag electrodes preserving better the conductivity of the device . The C‐OPV‐N outdoor test started shortly before the greenhouse test and the modules degraded slightly in the first 100 days of test in the season of low sun illumination.…”

Overcoming the Scaling Lag for Polymer Solar Cells

“…This included the development of printable back electrodes and improvement in operational stability under outdoor conditions. 26 The Scientific Key to Unlock the Scaling Gap When considering all of the above, we started by examining the drying phenomena. These have been studied using a small roll-to-roll machine that could be mounted on an X-ray source (laboratory or synchrotron), enabling the study of the evolution of morphology.…”

Flow Synthesis of Silver Nanowires for Semitransparent Solar Cell Electrodes: A Life Cycle Perspective

“…ChemSusChem 2016, 9,893 -899 www.chemsuschem.org can be attributed to the assumption of as hort lifetime, althoughr ecent stabilityt ests [15] indicate clearly that the AgNW OPV modules present an excellent operational stabilityt hat will surpass the equivalent version withp rinted silver-flakebased ink that has demonstrated an operational stabilized lifetime of > 2years under outdoor operation. In general these numbersc an be found to be much lower for at raditional Sibased solar cell (2.67 MJ EPE per kWh and 0.26 years of EPBT).…”

“…[14d] The electrode-printing process can be intensified through the combination of AgNWsa nd zinc oxide inks, whereby as emitransparent electron-accepting front electrode can be achieved in just one printing step as opposed to the standard methodi nw hich three separate printings teps are required of which the latter two requiregood registration during printing. [15] In this report we describe and comparet he flow and batch preparation of AgNWs. Using these NWs, we prepared printing inks and printed semitransparent front electrodes for polymer solar cells.…”