Bringing all-polymer solar cells closer to commercialization

Organic solar cells have the potential for low-cost fabrication through solution-based high-throughput roll-to-roll processsing. While a number of organic photovoltaic (OPV) technologies have been in development for a number of years now, issues including scalability and stability have hindered commercialisation. So-called "all-polymer" solar cells – that use semiconducting polymer for both the electron donating and electron accepting components – are attractive since they are more processable and potentially more stable than other OPV technologies. All-polymer solar cells have had their own challenges including morphological control and lower efficiencies, however recent work has indicated that these issues may soon be overcome. This project combines the expertise of researchers at Monash, Flinders, and Macquarie Universities to advance the development of all-polymer solar cells by targeting the key issues of scalability and stability. Materials with ease of synthesis and the ability to be processed in green solvents will be developed to ensure high-throughput manufacture is matched with cost-effective materials. Microstructural studies will also be performed to understand the processes that enable optimal and stable microstructures to be created. This work will bring low-cost polymer solar cells closer to commercial reality.