20%: Chinese scientists announce new record for organic solar cell efficiency
Organic solar cell technology is developing dynamically, both in terms of efficiency and durability, as confirmed by Chinese scientists who have achieved a previously unsurpassed milestone by presenting an organic solar cell with an efficiency of 20%.
Breakthrough in efficiency without toxic substances
Organic solar cells (OSCs) use carbon-based molecules instead of traditional silicon. Their lightweight, flexible and inexpensive material has the potential to be integrated into flexible applications such as building envelopes, portable devices, clothing or backpacks. However, OSCs have long lagged behind silicones in efficiency and stability.
Chinese scientists have used new materials ODBC and PDBC to improve the internal structure of organic cells. The new element is the additives ODBC and PDBC, which adjust the volume and shape changes in the cell structure during production.
A key innovation is that the traditionally required solvent chloroform has been replaced with the common, safe toluene. This change not only protects the environment, but also allows for simpler and cleaner production that is also kind to production workers.
The result is a more suitable structure that optimizes the performance of such cells. In the case of the fully polymer solution PM6/PYF-T-o, the efficiency increased from 14.88% to 17.38%, PM6/BTP-eC9 even reached 20% (certified 19.7%). These are already very good values, even usable in practice.
Ecology and commercialization
Chinese research proves that the development of new solar cell technology is not a dream, but almost a reality. The 20% efficiency of non-toxic organic cells, together with low production emissions, opens the door to the production of very cheap solar energy in the world.
However, a big challenge for organic cell technology is still their lifespan. In the case of the new OSC, however, its structure remained stable for more than 1 year without significant degradation. This is essential for the mass deployment of solar panels in the future.
However, for the practical deployment of this technology in mass production, at least one order needs to be added to make the path to mass production a reality.