Research

Material Sciences

Title :

Development of ternary based organic solar cells with improved efficiency and operational life time.

Area of research :

Material Sciences

Focus area :

Organic Electronics and Solar Energy

Principal Investigator :

Dr. Saral K Gupta, Banasthali Vidyapith, Rajasthan

Timeline Start Year :

2023

Timeline End Year :

2026

Contact info :

Details

Executive Summary :

The global energy demand is expected to rise rapidly, and fossil fuels are depleting and causing negative environmental effects. Photovoltaic technology, particularly based on organic materials, has the potential to develop environmentally safe, sustainable, and affordable alternative energy sources. Organic solar cells (OSCs) have shown potential for developing affordable and sustainable electricity sources, but they often suffer from inadequate efficiency and durability issues. The bulk heterojunction (BHJ) concept in OSCs has increased efficiency to over 10%. However, insufficient photon harvesting due to the narrow absorption window of organic semiconductors hinders further enhancement in performance. To achieve high efficiency in single-junction OSCs, several light-absorbing materials can be used to extend the absorption range. The photoactive layer can be designed with materials possessing different absorption bands to match the solar spectrum range, improving the efficiency of OSCs. The third component in BHJ blends can perform versatile functions, such as increasing open circuit voltage and fill factor through charge transport. Cascaded energy levels in ternary blends may increase exciton dissociation and decrease charge recombination. This research proposes developing highly efficient and stable OSCs based on the ternary blend active layer, extending the absorption range of the photoactive layer and improving charge generation and transport. However, challenges and limitations still exist that hinder the further development of ternary solar cells. This project explores various ternary material combinations to optimize solar spectrum absorption, improve charge dissociation and transport, and analyze the impact of the third component on material properties and OSCs.

Co-PI:

Dr. Chandra Mohan Negi, Banasthali Vidyapith, Rajasthan-304022

Total Budget (INR):

18,44,810

Organizations involved