Green Chemistry Organic Solar Cells

Organic photovoltaic solar cells nrel has strong complementary research capabilities in organic photovoltaic opv cells transparent conducting oxides combinatorial methods molecular simulation methods and atmospheric processing.

Green chemistry organic solar cells.

Organic solar cells oscs are one of the emerging photovoltaic pv technologies and are classified as third generation solar cells with organic polymer material as the light absorbing layer. Organic solar cells usually consist of two different organic components possessing the necessary semiconductor properties. Organic solar cells oscs offer a relevant case in point when considering challenges imposed by green manufacturing. A solar cell is made of two types of semiconductors called p type and n type silicon.

In contrast to conventionally used silicon which is manufactured by energy intensive melting processes organic materials can be applied directly from solutions onto a carrier film or glass carrier. Organic solar cells oscs are regarded as low cost and potentially environmentally benign sources of power. Compared to silicon based solar cells they are tremendously effective in indoor lighting conditions. This is the amount of time a solar cell must operate before it generates the same amount of energy as its embodied energy.

Silicon solar cells have a 1 65 to 4 12 year energy payback time while some organic solar cells and perovskites have energy payback times of less than half a year. The p type silicon is produced by adding atoms such as boron or gallium that have one less electron in their outer energy level than does silicon. 4 among the arguments for pursuing research on oscs are that most if not all of the components can be deposited from solution in a roll to roll manner 5 6 that the materials are in principal earth abundant 7 that devices can be semitransparent 8 or aesthetically pleasing 9 that the devices are ultra flexible 10 and even stretchable 10 13 and that the materials. Embodied energy is part of an even broader picture.

Oscs usually rely on a blend of electron donating and electron accepting semiconductors with specific energetic optical and transport properties in order to achieve efficient harvesting of sunlight and photocurrent generation. They can also be made moldable transparent or. Handbook of organic materials for optical and opto electronic devices 2013. An organic solar cell is a photovoltaic device whose active layer comprises π conjugated polymers and small molecules.