Journal
SYNTHETIC METALS
Volume 271, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE SA
DOI: 10.1016/j.synthmet.2020.116582
Keywords
Organic solar cells; Transparent solar cells; Transparent conductive electrode; Graphene; Carbon nanotubes; Metallic nanowires
Funding
- Northeastern Ohio Science & Engineering Fair
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Transparent photovoltaics on building surfaces, such as windows and siding, have the potential to revolutionize renewable energy generation. Organic solar cells offer advantages including high absorption coefficients, flexibility, lightweight, and low cost, but require compatible active materials and suitable top conductive electrodes. Research on transparent organic solar cells has shown that materials like transparent conductive oxides, carbon-based conductive polymers, and metallic nanowires can provide high efficiency photovoltaics, promising a more sustainable energy future.
Transparent photovoltaics placed on the additional surface area of buildings, including windows and siding, have the potential to transform renewable energy generation. In contrast to their inorganic, silicon-based counterparts, organic solar cells (OSCs) have high absorption coefficients and can also be flexible, light-weight, and lowcost. However, the use of OSCs as transparent solar cells requires developing a compatible active material alongside a suitable top conductive electrode (TCE) that maintains both high transparency and low resistivity. This mini-review will explore materials for the TCE of organic solar cells, examining the properties, advantages, challenges, and recent progress of such electrodes in the last five years (2016-2020). The performance characteristics of these materials in transparent and semi-transparent organic solar cells, including power conversion efficiency, average visible transmittance, and color-rendering index are noted. The TCEs studied encompass transparent conductive oxides; carbon-based conductive polymers, graphene, and carbon nanotubes; metallic nanowires, nanomeshes, and nanogrids; in addition to ultrathin metals and composite electrodes. The investigation of these top conductive electrodes for transparent organic solar cells offers promise toward more versatile photovoltaics and thus a more sustainable energy future.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available