Recent progresses on solution-processed silver nanowire based transparent conducting electrodes for organic solar cells

• Published in: Materials today chemistry Vol. 3; pp. 60 - 72
• Main Authors: Basarir, Fevzihan, Irani, Farid Sayar, Kosemen, Arif, Camic, B. Tugba, Oytun, Faruk, Tunaboylu, Bahadir, Shin, Hee Jeong, Nam, Ki Young, Choi, Hyosung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2017
• Subjects: Optical transmission; Organic photovoltaics; Sheet resistance; Silver nanowire; Solution based coating; Transparent conducting electrode; Transparent conducting electrode; Silver nanowire; Optical transmission; Organic photovoltaics; Sheet resistance; Solution based coating
• ISSN: 2468-5194; 2468-5194
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mtchem.2017.02.001

Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are considered as a future alternative for conventional silicon based solar cells, owing to their low cost, ease of production and high-throughput. The transparent conducting electrode (TCE) is a fundamental component of OPVs. Traditionally, indium tin oxide (ITO) has been mainly utilized as a TCE in OPV applications due to its relatively high transparency and low sheet resistance. However, increasing demand for the optoelectronic devices has led to large fluctuations in ITO prices in the past decade and ITO is known to account more than 50% of the total cost of OPV devices. Thus, it is believed that development of solution-processable alternative materials is of great importance in reducing the cost of OPVs. Numerous materials, including silver nanowires, carbon nanotubes, graphene and conducting polymers, have been offered as replacements for ITO. This article reviews recent progress on fabrication of TCE via solution based coating techniques of silver nanowires (Ag NWs). In addition, performance of the Ag NWs based TCE in OPVs is summarized. Finally, we explore the future outlook for Ag NWs based TCE at the end of the review. •We review recent progress on transparent conducting electrodes based on solution-processable silver nanowire.•Silver nanowire electrodes exhibit comparable optical and electrical properties to conventional ITO electrode.•Many problems of silver nanowire electrode such as high surface roughness, poor adhesion, and processing temperature should be solved for application of flexible organic photovoltaics.•The device based on silver nanowire electrode still exhibit lower device stability than the device with ITO electrode due to easily-oxidized property of Ag element.