7th June 2023 New record solar cell efficiency A new record high efficiency of 19.3% for organic solar cells (OSCs) is reported by Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Researchers at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have achieved a breakthrough power-conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.31% with organic solar cells (OSCs), also known as polymer solar cells. Led by Li Gang, Chair Professor of Energy Conversion Technology and Endowed Professor in Renewable Energy, the team invented a new morphology-regulating technique by using 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene as a crystallisation regulator. This novel method can boost both efficiency and stability. "Challenges in research came from the existing additive-based benchmark morphology control methods," explained Li. "[These] suffer from non-radiative recombination loss, thus lowering the open-circuit voltage due to excessive aggregation." He and his colleagues worked for two years to devise a "non-monotonic intermediated state manipulation" strategy, which promotes the formation of a more ordered molecular stacking and favourable molecular aggregation. Their breakthrough will galvanise further research into this emerging class of cells. "These new findings will make OSC research an exciting field, and this will likely create tremendous opportunities in applications like portable electronics and building-integrated PVs," added Li. "This is a very encouraging result for the long-standing research on OSCs that I have conducted over the past two decades. We have already achieved better OSC efficiency, and this will subsequently help accelerate the applications of solar energy." Li's team is hopeful that low cost, single-junction OSCs can achieve a PCE of greater than 20% in the near future, along with more stable performance and other unique advantages – such as flexibility, transparency, stretchability, low weight, and tuneable colours.
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