Researchers at Canada's
National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT) and the University of Alberta
have engineered an approach that is leading to improved performance of plastic
solar cells (hybrid organic solar cells). The development of inexpensive, mass-produced
plastic solar panels is a goal of intense interest for many of the world's scientists
and engineers because of the high cost and shortage of the ultra-high purity
silicon and other materials normally required.
Plastic solar cells are made up of layers of different materials, each with
a specific function, called a sandwich structure. Jillian Buriak, a professor
of chemistry at the U of A, NINT principal investigator and member of the research
team, uses a simple analogy to describe the approach:
"Consider a clubhouse sandwich, with many different layers. One layer
absorbs the light, another helps to generate the electricity, and others help
to draw the electricity out of the device. Normally, the layers don't stick
well, and so the electricity ends up stuck and never gets out, leading to inefficient
devices. We are working on the mayonnaise, the mustard, the butter and other
'special sauces' that bring the sandwich together, and make each of the layers
work together. That makes a better sandwich, and makes a better solar cell,
in our case".
After two years of research, these U of A and NINT scientists have, by only
working on one part of the sandwich, seen improvements of about 30 per cent
in the efficiency of the working model. Michael Brett, professor of electrical
and computer engineering, NINT principal investigator and member of the research
team is optimistic: "our team is so incredibly cross-disciplinary, with
people from engineering, physics and chemistry backgrounds all working towards
this common goal of cheap manufacturable solar cells. This collaboration is
extremely productive because of the great team with such diverse backgrounds,
[although] there is still so much more for us to do, which is exciting."
This multidisciplinary approach, common at the National Institute for Nanotechnology,
brings together the best of the NRC and the University of Alberta.
The team estimates it will be five to seven years before plastic solar panels
will be mass produced but Buriak adds that when it happens solar energy will
be available to everyone. She says the next generation of solar technology belongs
to plastic.
"Plastic solar cell material will be made cheaply and quickly and in massive
quantities by ink jet-like printers."
Paper title: Thienylsilance-Modified Indium Tin Oxide as an Anodic Interface
in Polymer/Fullerene Solar Cells, (Feb 25, 2099 edition, ACS Applied Materials
+ Interfaces).
Posted February 25th, 2009
