PHOTOVOLTAICS | MATERIALS


Shining a light: advances in plastic photovoltaics


Organic solar cells rely heavily on plastics – and ongoing research that enhances their conversion efficiencies could one day see them compete head-on with silicon devices


Plastics are commonly used in solar cells – in components such as frames and backplates. This is due to the relative low density of plastic materials, allowing the creation of more lightweight designs. However, away from conventional silicon-based solar cells, there is also a growing attention on so-called ‘organics’ solar cells, or organic photovol- taics (OPVs). These rely on special types of plastic to replace the silicon element. These plastics are typically deposited onto a plastic matrix – which means OPVs are potentially far cheaper and more flexible than traditional solar cells. One downside is that they are typically less


robust and have lower conversion efficiencies. However, many research teams are trying to overcome these shortcomings.


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Molecular interactions Researchers at Karlstad University in Sweden are to study the interactions between different mol- ecules in an organic solar cell – in an attempt to raise efficiency. “We will study interactions between the elec-


tron-donating and the electron-accepting mol- ecules,” said Ellen Moons, professor of physics at the university, who leads the research project. She believes that these interactions affect the


efficiency of the solar cells. “We have previously investigated internal nanostructure, but now we want to manipulate this structure and the properties through molecular interaction,” she said. Organic solar cells are typically made by mixing specific reactants in a solvent, spreading this onto a


April 2022 | FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION 25


Main image: Linkoping University researchers have used a ‘green’ solvent to make


long-lasting organic solar cells


IMAGE: OLOV PLANTHABER


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