Carbon nanomaterials-based composites for hybrid organic photovoltaic devices

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The worldwide demand for low cost and clean energy sources has never been greater and is continuously growing as it scales with population increase. To address this challenge and reduce the environmental impact of fossil fuel consumption, it is crucial to harvest energy from alternative sources, especially the sun. Conversion of sunlight into electricity is achieved by the photovoltaic (PV) process. However, to meet future PV power requirements novel device concepts and ultimately new material systems are needed. New approaches for solar energy conversion include organic PV cells (OPVs) that are characterized by low cost. Although the power conversion efficiency of OSCs is still considerably below what is attainable by inorganic semiconductor-based counterparts, other desirable characteristics, such as flexibility and low weight, make them ideal for specific niche applications, such as integration into buildings and satellites. In these OPV devices, PV conversion is based on the separation of photogenerated charges at an interface between electron donor and acceptor materials, which imposes some constraints on the photoactive layer of the cells. We propose a promising new direction to improve the active layer morphology and cell efficiency by the incorporation of highly anisotropic structures such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which may facilitate charge transport to the electrodes. We aim to investigate the insertion of carbon nanomaterials (CNTs and graphene), in collaboration with our industrial partners, Raymor Nanotech and MPB technologies Inc., with light sensitive organic conjugated polymers, by creating a high efficiency hybrid OPV system. Our long term objective is the development of advanced concepts for the integration of such nanomaterials into commercial devices for solar energy conversion. This project will also contribute to the training of Highly Qualified Personnel.