Brush-painted flexible organic solar cells using highly transparent and flexible Ag nanowire network electrodes

• Published in: Solar energy materials and solar cells Vol. 122; pp. 152 - 157
• Main Authors: Kang, Sin-Bi, Noh, Yong-Jin, Na, Seok-In, Kim, Han-Ki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.03.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Ag nanowire; Applied sciences; Brush painting; Brushes; Electric connection. Cables. Wiring; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Flexible organic solar cell; ITO; Nanowires; Natural energy; Networks; Paints; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic conversion; Polystyrene resins; Protective coatings; Silver; Solar cells; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; Various equipment and components; Ag nanowire; Brush painting; ITO; Flexible organic solar cell; Coating process; Brushes; Costs; Anode; Fullerene compounds; Electron transport layer; Conversion rate; Organic solar cells; Fill factor; Flexibility; Butyric acid; Ester; Tin addition; Sheet resistivity; Thiophene derivative polymer; Energy conversion; Zinc oxide; Cost lowering; Hole transport layer; Short circuit currents; Polymer blends; Active layer; Doped materials; Paint; Transmittance; Indium oxide; Open circuit voltage; Painting; Manufacturing process; Styrenesulfonate polymer; Nanowires
• ISSN: 0927-0248; 1879-3398
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2013.11.036

We report on the highly flexible and cost-efficient brush painting of flexible organic solar cells (FOSCs). Brush painting was applied for all of the solution-based layers of FOSCs—an Ag nanowire (NW) anode, a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) hole transporting layer, a poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)- and 1-(3-methoxycarbonyl)-propyl-1-phenyl-(6,6)C61 (PCBM)-based active layer, and a ZnO electron transporting layer. By the simple and fast brush painting of the Ag NW network with a low sheet resistance of 26.4Ω/square, a high transmittance of 81.8%, and superior flexibility, we can avoid the use of typical sputtered Sn-doped In2O3, which is used as anode electrodes in typical FOSCs. The P3HT:PCBM-based FOSCs fabricated by brush-painting processes showed a short circuit current of 7.276mA/cm2, an open circuit voltage of 0.574V, a fill factor of 49.20%, and a power conversion efficiency of 2.055%. The successful operation of brush-painted FOSCs indicated that brush painting is a promising ultra-low-cost and fast coating process for the fabrication of solution-based cost-efficient FOSCs.