CAREER: Novel Triplet Polymer based Solar Cells as a New Path for Higher Efficiency

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CAREER: Novel Triplet Polymer based Solar Cells as a New Path for Higher EfficiencyAbstractThe research goal of this career development plan is to generate a new type of highly efficient organic solar cells by creating a family of novel triplet conjugate polymers, with controllable energy levels and bandgaps ranging from infrared to visible regions that are currently unavailable. The current organic photovoltaics (PV) are primarily based on singlet polymers with short-lifetime excited states and narrow absorption spectrum, and suffer low efficiencies (6 ? 7 %). Thus, new materials are strongly needed to significantly increase the efficiency. Using long-lifetime triplet materials to increase the device efficiency is a much less explored area. The PI will address the fundamental issues in these unique triplet polymers and their applications in high performance organic solar cells. The specific research activities will include calculation and synthesis of new triplet polymers, fundamental understanding of the energy transport and generation processes in the new triplet polymers, and development of highly efficient triplet PV cells. The proposed work will potentially reveal some of the bottlenecks which have hampered high-efficiency polymer solar cell development, by providing a completely different avenue to the losses and limitations in the current singlet based polymers and devices.The education goal of this career development plan is to advance discovery while promoting teaching and learning at all educational levels. The PI is committed to integrate this career development plan research with an educational outreach program and involve the participation of K-12, undergraduate and graduate students, including the Native American and female groups. An education-based polymer photovoltaic lab station will be developed for the South Dakota Mobile Science Lab. The Mobile Science Lab travels to schools around the state during the school year. The primary purpose of the Mobile Science Labs is to provide South Dakota students with an opportunity to perform science lab activities with advanced equipment, technology, and methods that are usually not available in small schools. Underrepresented undergraduate and graduate Native American and female students will be encouraged and directly hired to work in the PI?s laboratory.