This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a new class of n-type semi-conducting polymers for thin film organic solar cells. High efficiency photovoltaics (PVs) based on inorganic semiconductors have good efficiencies (up to 30%) but are extremely expensive to manufacture. Organic PV technology has the potential to overcome this problem through the use of high-throughput production methods like reel-to-reel printing on flexible substrates. Unfortunately, today's best organic PVs have only a few percent efficiency, a number that is insufficient for virtually all commercial applications. The limited choice of stable n-type (acceptor) organic semiconductor materials is one of the key factors that prevent the further improvement of organic PVs. The company has developed a new class of electron-deficient (n-type) conjugated polymers for use in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). This work will optimize the synthesis of their electron-deficient polymers and investigate their performance in organic PVs.
New n-type semi-conducting polymers with good electron transport properties are needed for the fabrication of highly efficient organic solar cells. Because organic polymers can be processed using simple, solvent-based coating techniques, they are the key to producing a new generation of lightweight, flexible, and durable solar cells on a large scale, which could vastly expand current PV applications and markets. Potential immediate applications of organic PV devices include disposable flexible power sources, charging systems for smart magnetic cards and for smart packaging materials, photovoltaics on fabrics and textiles and military applications.
