Mechanical Behavior of Polymer-Fullerene Blends for Photovoltaic Applications

该补助金提供资金用于研究光伏器件应用（即太阳能电池）中聚合物-富勒烯共混物薄膜的机械行为和光电性能之间的关系。主要研究人员将考虑共混膜的形态特征如何影响活性层的机械和电气性能，以及这些性能如何通过材料选择和加工条件进行耦合和修改。重点将是表征不同变形模式的机械性能和设备性能变化的物理机制。为了分析这个系统，将进行实验和计算相结合的调查。实验研究将结合联合收割机薄膜力学和光电器件测量沿着与详细的形态表征。一个微观力学模型将开发一个多相模型的基础上，由纯聚合物和富勒烯相，和一个混溶相。基于聚合物-富勒烯异质结的有机太阳能电池是一种很有前途的技术，可以提供与化石燃料源相比具有成本竞争力的可再生能源。这项技术的商业成功的关键是在制造和操作过程中弯曲太阳能电池的能力。如果成功，这项研究将有助于指导高度灵活和耐用的有机太阳能电池的开发，其性能优于目前最先进的设备。确定的聚合物-富勒烯膜的机械和电气性能之间的基本关系也将提供新的见解的膜形态在能量转换过程中的作用，并建议处理策略，最大限度地提高设备的性能。除了研究结果，参与补助金的研究生将在高度跨学科的研究环境中接受培训。主要研究人员还将为高中生的工程夏令营做出贡献，重点是太阳能技术。

This grant provides funding to study relationships between the mechanical behavior and optoelectronic performance of polymer-fullerene blend films for photovoltaic device applications, i.e. solar cells. The principle investigators will consider how morphological features of the blend film affect both the mechanical and electrical properties of the active layers, and how these properties are coupled and modified through material selection and processing conditions. A focus will be on characterizing the mechanical properties and the physical mechanisms of performance variation in devices for different deformation modes. To analyze this system, a combination of experimental and computational investigations will be conducted. The experimental research will combine thin-film mechanics and optoelectronic device measurements along with detailed morphological characterization. A micromechanical model will be developed based on a multi-phase model consisting of pure polymer and fullerene phases, and a miscible phase. A non-linear finite element method will then be applied to integrate the component models.Organic solar cells based on polymer-fullerene heterojunctions are a promising technology to provide renewable energy that is cost competitive with fossil fuel sources. Critical to the commercial success of this technology is the ability to flex the solar cell during both fabrication and operation. If successful, this research will help guide the development of highly flexible and durable organic solar cells with improved performance over current state of the art devices. Determining the fundamental relationships between the mechanical and electrical properties of the polymer-fullerene film will also provide new insights into the role of film morphology in the energy conversion process and suggest processing strategies that maximize device performance. In addition to the research findings, graduate students involved in the grant will be trained in a highly interdisciplinary research environment. The principle investigators will also contribute to an engineering summer camp for high school students that focuses on solar power technologies.