Organic photovoltaic modules fabricated by an industrial gravure printing proofer

• Published in: Solar energy materials and solar cells Vol. 109; pp. 47 - 55
• Main Authors: Yang, Junliang, Vak, Doojin, Clark, Noel, Subbiah, Jegadesan, Wong, Wallace W.H., Jones, David J., Watkins, Scott E., Wilson, Gerry
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.02.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aluminum; Applied sciences; Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Energy; Equipments, installations and applications; Exact sciences and technology; Gravure; Gravure printing; Indium tin oxide; Industrial printer; Inks; Modules; Natural energy; Organic photovoltaics; Photoelectric conversion; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic conversion; Polymer solar cells; Polystyrene resins; Printing; Solar cells; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; Industrial printer; Organic photovoltaics; Modules; Gravure printing; Polymer solar cells; Inks; Interfacial layer; Ethylene terephthalate polymer; Performance evaluation; Fullerene compounds; Conversion rate; Organic solar cells; Printer; Coatings; Optimization; Butyric acid; Ester; Tin addition; Thiophene derivative polymer; Energy conversion; Photovoltaic array; ITO layers; Hole transport layer; Short circuit currents; Polymer blends; Photovoltaic system; Active layer; Aluminium; Indium oxide; Coated material; Open circuit voltage; Roll-to-roll process; Flexible structure; Morphology; Styrenesulfonic acid polymer; Styrenesulfonate polymer
• ISSN: 0927-0248; 1879-3398
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2012.10.018

Large-area, flexible organic photovoltaic (OPV) modules are fabricated successfully by gravure printing in air, using an industrial-scale printing proofer of similar performance to commercial roll-to-roll printing processes. Both the hole transport layer, poly-3,4-ethylenedioxy-thiophene:poly(styrene sulfonic-acid) (PEDOT:PSS), and the active layer, poly(3-hexylthiophene):[6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM), are successively printed on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated polyethylene terephthalate (ITO/PET) substrates with evaporated aluminum (Al) top electrodes. The 45cm2 modules, composed of 5 cells connected in series, show power conversion efficiency (PCE) of over 1.0%, in which the short-circuit current (Jsc) and open-circuit voltage (Voc) are as high as 7.14mA/cm2 and 2.74V (0.55V per cell), respectively. The PCEs could be potentially improved by the further optimization of the layer interface, layer morphology and flexible substrate properties. The results suggest that gravure printing may be a suitable technique for fast commercial processing of large-area, flexible OPVs with high output. ► We successfully use an industrial-scale gravure printing proofer to process OPV modules. ► The 45cm2 P3HT:PCBM modules fabricated by gravure printing could give a PCE of over 1.0%. ► The PCEs of OPV modules by gravure printing could be potentially improved through further optimization.