Enhanced Structural Stability and Performance Durability of Bulk Heterojunction Photovoltaic Devices Incorporating Metallic Nanoparticles

• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201101047
• Publication Date: 2011-08-16T00:37:21Z
• Authors: Barbara Paci; George D. Spyropo...; Amanda Generosi; Daniele Bailo; Valerio Rossi Alb...; Emmanuel Stratakis; Emmanuel Kymakis
• Keywords: Photoactive layer; Photodegradation; Degradation; Active layer

Abstract Despite the progress on organic photovoltaic (OPV) performance, photoactive layer degradation during prolonged solar illumination is still a major obstacle. In this work, an approach to mitigate pathway related structural/morphological changes of occurring upon continuous in air presented. It shown, for first time, that incorporation Ag nanoparticles poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6‐6]‐phenyl‐C61‐butyric acid methyl ester bulk heterojunction (BHJ) leads improved structural morphological properties composite BHJ cells better (PV) stability after long periods illumination. This evidenced by original based joint in‐situ time‐resolved X‐ray atomic force microscopy monitoring. Besides improvement reduced photodegradation rate, it shown blends exhibit superior PV performance compared pristine BHJs. can be postulated metallic dual enhancement, plasmon absorption mediated effect, causing initial cell efficiency, effect giving rise rate The results are favor exploitation polymer–nanoparticle composites as promising aging effects OPVs.