The Future of Flexible Organic Solar Cells

Abstract

Extensive efforts have been devoted during the last decade to organic solar cell research that has led to remarkable progress and achieved power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) in excess of 10%. Among the existing flexible organic solar cells, ultrathin organic solar cells with a total thickness <10 µm have important advantages, including good mechanical bending stabilities and good conformability. These advantages have led to power generation solutions for wearable electronics. In this essay, the progress of flexible and ultrathin organic solar cells, and the future research directions pertaining to these cells are discussed based on the potential applications of textile‐compatible solar cells. Both process engineering and development of the material of ultrathin substrate films have improved the PCE of ultrathin organic solar cells, which in turn have led to the small PCE difference between flexible organic solar cells with substrate thickness >10 µm and ultrathin organic solar cells with substrate thickness ≤10 µm. Key technologies for the further improvement of PCE of flexible/ultrathin organic solar cells are discussed. Strategies to improve the stability and some important aspects, which determine the mechanical robustness of flexible organic solar cells, are also presented and discussed.

Flexible and efficient perovskite quantum dot solar cells via hybrid interfacial architecture

“…Although previous studies have demonstrated excellent flexural endurance of QD photovoltaics 37 , 38 , none have demonstrated high PCEs, probably due to poor charge transfer and carrier extraction efficiencies at QD heterointerfaces and interfaces. PCEs of flexible QD photovoltaics have been limited to below 10% 38 , which lag significantly behind flexible organic and thin-film perovskite solar cells 39 , 40 .…”

Reducing VOC loss via structure compatible and high lowest unoccupied molecular orbital nonfullerene acceptors for over 17%‐efficiency ternary organic photovoltaics

“…OPVs are therefore promising for versatile terrestrial and outer space applications. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] Currently, nonfullerene acceptors, especially fused-ring electron acceptors (FREAs), are a research hotspot of BHJ OPVs, setting new records of power conversion efficiencies (PCEs). [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] Unlike fullerene derivatives (eg, PC 61 BM and PC 71 BM), FREAs offer the advantages of low cost, flexible adjustment of optoelectronic properties, strong absorption in the visible and near-infrared region.…”

Flexible and efficient perovskite quantum dot solar cells via hybrid interfacial architecture

“…Although previous studies have demonstrated excellent exural endurance of QD photovoltaics, [37][38] none have demonstrated high PCEs, probably due to poor charge transfer and carrier extraction e ciencies at QD heterointerfaces and interfaces. PCEs of exible QD photovoltaics have been limited to below 10%, 38 which lag signi cantly behind exible organic and thin-lm perovskite solar cells [39][40] .…”