A study on the incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles into MEH-PPV based organic-inorganic hybrid solar cells

A conjugated polymer MEH-PPV [poly(2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylene vinylene)] and ZnO inorganic semiconductor nanoparticles were blended to form bulk heterojunction organic inorganic hybrid solar cells. The simple photovoltaic device could be fabricated by spin-coating and the architecture was glass/ITO/MEH-PPV/Al or glass/ITO/MEH-PPV:ZnO nanoparticles (0, 5, 20, and 30 wt% to MEH-PPV)/Al. We could obtain the short-circuit current density (J(SC)), open-circuit voltage (V-OC), and fill factor (FF) were, respectively, 0.0081 mA/cm(2), 0.606 V, and 17.6% for pristine MEH-PPV as used a single active layer and also 0.0120 mA/cm(2), 0.858 V, and 20.2% for MEH-PPV:30 wt% ZnO nanocomposite as used a hybrid active layer. This enhancement of J(SC), V-OC, and FF was explained by the preservation of optical quality for hybrid active layer and facile electron injection from the introduction of ZnO semiconductor nanoparticles. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.