PolyPV, LLC — Department of Defense STTR Phase I: N21A-T009

Description

The main challenges in commercializing organic solar cell modules are translating the recently achieved high power conversion efficiency to larger area monolithic modules produced with scalable fabrication techniques, and improve operation lifetimes of the modules. Device degradation in organic solar cells can include intrinsic morphological changes over time, intrinsic chemical reactions at electrode interfaces or diffusion/interpenetration of the electrode interlayers with the active layer, and finally extrinsic oxygen and water infiltration that causes photo-oxidation. We view the intrinsic stability problems as more challenging than the processing and scaling requirements, and target improving the intrinsic stability of organic solar cell to improve their commercial viability. This will be achieved through the following objectives: (1) Benchmark the operational stability of model high-efficiency organic solar cells and identifying intrinsic degradation pathways; (2) Design electrode and charge transport layers that minimize degradation pathways associate with active layer interfaces; (3) Utilize recently developed active layer material selection and processing design framework that improves morphological stability; (4) Employ UV light management technologies into the solar cells; and (5) Use processing methods compatible with mass production to fabricate efficient and stable solar modules with power conversion efficiency over 13% for cells that are 1 cm2 with less than 10% performance loss to break-in over 100 hours unpackaged and 1000 hours packaged