Elucidating Physical and Electronic Interactions in Ternary Blend Organic Solar Cells

太阳能是最具吸引力的可再生能源之一，为基础研究提供了动力，以实现适用于各种应用的低成本技术。其中，薄膜有机光伏电池（基于有机小分子和聚合物）是一个潜在的合适的选择。该技术为将可再生电力生产能力整合到建筑基础设施中提供了一条轻量级、灵活的平台。在所研究的有机太阳能电池中，三元共混物电池已经证明了具有最先进效率的潜力。此外，该技术将其自身修正为与现有的连续卷对卷加工制造方法兼容的简单器件制造方法。该项目将致力于对材料活性层（聚合物共混物）的机制进行基础研究，以提高所得设备的效率。该项目将专注于三元聚合物共混物混合物中复杂的物理和电子相互作用，这决定了电池的太阳能转换效率。该项目的研究计划与一个有凝聚力的教育计划相结合，使社区学院的学生以及南加州大学（USC）的本科生和研究生受益。来自喜瑞都学院（加利福尼亚州诺沃克）的社区大学学生将在每年夏天参加该研究项目。这些学生主要来自STEM中代表性不足的群体，许多是第一代大学生。该项目还涉及与德国和丹麦实验室的合作。本科生和研究生（来自喜瑞都和南加州大学）也将与国际合作者密切合作，包括研究生交流扩展国际研究经验。最后，该项目包括努力发展写学习的教学方法正在追求本科有机化学课程在南加州大学的目标是促进学习和学生的保留。该基础研究项目的重点是扩大对三元共混有机太阳能电池中协同组分的增溶作用的理解，特别是那些基于两种供体聚合物和一种分子受体的增溶作用。具体的兴趣集中在物理关系如何影响开路电压和组件之间的有利的电子相互作用的一个更全面的画面上的发展。该项目的目标是：阐明协同成分之间的基本物理和电子相互作用，并阐明其运作机制;确定协同供体成分之间有效电子关系的限度，特别是侧重于最大有效最高占据分子轨道偏移;以及制定协同成分的合理设计规则。这项工作将通过聚合物合成，基本的电子和结构表征，器件表征和理论的组合来执行。所述目标的实现应导致增强对三元共混平台的基本理解，并为新的供体和受体组件提供明确的设计原则。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

Solar energy is among the most attractive renewable energy sources, providing motivation for fundamental research to enable low-cost technologies that are adaptable for a variety of applications. Among these, thin film organic photovoltaic cells (based on small organic molecules and polymers) are a potentially suitable option. This technology provides a path towards a lightweight, flexible platform for integration of renewable electricity production capacity into building infrastructure. Of the organic solar cells under study, ternary blend cells have demonstrated the potential for state-of-the-art efficiency. In addition, the technology amends itself to simple device fabrication methods that are compatible with existing continuous roll-to-roll processing manufacturing methods. This project will address fundamental research into the mechanisms that govern the active layer of material, the polymer blend, in order to increase efficiency of the resulting device. The project will focus on the complex physical and electronic interactions in the ternary polymer blend mixture that determines the cell's solar conversion efficiency. The research plan of the project is coupled with a cohesive educational plan that benefits community college students as well as University of Southern California (USC) undergraduates and graduate students. Community college students from Cerritos College (Norwalk, CA) will be hosted each summer to participate in the research project. These students are largely from under-represented groups in STEM and many are first generation college students. The project also involves collaborations with laboratories in Germany and Denmark. Undergraduate and graduate students (from Cerritos and USC) will also work closely with the international collaborators, including graduate student exchange for an extended international research experience. Finally, the project includes efforts toward developing write-to-learn pedagogies are being pursued in undergraduate organic chemistry courses at USC with the goal of facilitating learning and student retention. The focus of the fundamental research project is to expand the understanding of the role of miscibility of synergistic components in ternary blend organic solar cells, specifically those based on two donor polymers and one molecular acceptor. Specific interests are centered on how physical relationships influence the open circuit voltage and on the development of a more global picture of favorable electronic interactions between components. The objectives of the project are: to elucidate the fundamental physical and electronic interactions between synergistic components and clarify the mechanism of operation; to establish the limits of effective electronic relationships between synergistic donor components, specifically focusing on the maximum effective highest occupied molecular orbital offset; and to develop rational design rules for synergistic components. This work will be executed through a combination of polymer synthesis, basic electronic and structural characterization, device characterization and theory. Achievement of the stated objectives should lead to an enhanced fundamental understanding of the ternary blend platform and the path to clear design principles for new donor and acceptor components.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.