Prof. Christian Müller "Disordered Polymer Solar Cells"
Chalmers University of Technology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering/Polymer Technology, Göteborg, Sweden
What |
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When |
Nov 28, 2012 from 02:15 PM to 03:00 PM |
Where | Hörsaal Makromolekulare Chemie, Stefan-Meier-Str. 31, Freiburg |
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Polymer solar cells have the potential to become a cheap renewable energy technology. The most promising device architecture is the bulk-heterojunction, which comprises an electron-donating conjugated polymer that is intimately blended with a small-molecular electron acceptor such as a fullerene derivate. Generally, the use of highly ordered semiconductors is considered to be a prerequisite for achieving a good photovoltaic performance. In my talk I will discuss a series of donor polymers that challenge this paradigm. The possibility to use more disordered polymers offers considerable advantages in terms of improved solubility in common organic solvents, which eases synthesis as well as processing. However, our results show that particular care has to be taken to avoid lateral phase separation gradients that can develop in thin films of largely disordered bulk-heterojunction blends. In addition, a polymer with a sufficiently high glass transition temperature is required so that the optimum nanostructure remains frozen in even at elevated operating temperatures.