SOLAR: Designed Electronically Active Interfacial Materials for Polymer Blend Solar Cells

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In this collaborative project, four scientists at the University of California - Santa Barbara will investigate the design, synthesis and incorporation of new "electroactive polymer surfactant" (EPS) molecules in all-organic polymer photovoltaic materials. The aim of this research is to overcome some of the key stumbling blocks that have plagued other researchers investigating polymer photovoltaic materials, based upon bulk heterojunction systems. The work will be organized around the following three goals: (1) the development of physics-based models and efficient numerical methods for the prediction of phase separation in blends of rod-like polymers with multifunctional copolymer surfactants; (2) the synthesis of new homopolymers and functional block copolymers/oligomers comprising p-type and n-type backbones with a central electronically active moiety, using the design characteristics from (1); and (3) the characterization of the morphology of the blends as a function of composition and process conditions. The Principal Investigators will simultaneously develop a multifaceted educational program in solar energy research, including programs for high-school teachers, workshops for young scientists, and international collaborative experiences for graduate students. Efficient conversion of solar to electrical energy is likely to be one of the most important means of powering the planet in a sustainable way. Current materials for the conversion of sunlight to electricity are hampered by low efficiency and high cost. Work like that proposed in the present proposal seeks to find new alternatives that circumvent these problems. In particular, organic polymer (plastic) photovoltaic materials show promise as inexpensive alternatives to conventional semiconductor photovoltaic materials. Besides producing new kinds of materials for solar energy conversion, the Principal Investigators of this proposal hope to produce new kinds of scientists with the interdisciplinary expertise needed to make significant contributions to challenging scientific as well as societal problems.