Polymers for lightweight and environmentally stable flexible solar cells****

我们将开发和集成用于轻质、柔性和稳定的聚合物太阳能电池的聚合物半导体。这种材料、纳米复合材料和器件与现有技术的关键区别在于它们将是稳定的，这将使聚合物太阳能电池能够长期运行，并且可以用绿色溶剂加工，这对聚合物太阳能电池的最终商业化至关重要。提出的研究符合NSERC SPG目标领域先进制造和研究主题轻量化产品设计，装配和使用。聚合物太阳能电池由于其重量轻、机械坚固、潜在的低成本而成为现有硅太阳能电池的一种有前途的技术替代品。聚合物太阳能电池特别适用于节能住宅（例如，屋顶太阳能电池板，窗户和天窗）和新兴应用，如自供电可穿戴电子产品，物联网传感器，个人医疗保健和医疗设备，预计在未来5-10年内将迅速增长。**滑铁卢大学Li和Aziz小组最近取得的进展以及他们的合作努力为拟议的研究奠定了基础。在这项研究中，Li和Aziz将合作开发基于新型聚合物半导体和空穴传输层和电子传输层材料的轻质、柔性和稳定的聚合物太阳能电池。将在科学和工程方面取得进展，其中包括开发用于聚合物太阳能电池的新聚合物，开发新的材料加工程序，开发新的设备，以及展示稳定和高效的太阳能电池设备。**在这个项目中，我们将与世界领先的聚合物太阳能电池有机半导体材料制造商1-Material和加拿大通用塔公司（CGT）合作，开发新型轻质、柔性和稳定的聚合物太阳能电池。1-Material和CGT有研究和制造能力来支持研究，并采用新聚合物和太阳能电池产品的拟议研究中开发的技术。****

We will develop and integrate polymer semiconductors for lightweight, flexible, and stable polymer solar cells. The key distinction of the materials, nanocomposites, and devices from existing technologies is that they will be stable, which will enable long-term functioning of polymer solar cells, and processable with green solvents, which is critical for the eventual commercialization of polymer solar cells. The proposed research fits into the NSERC SPG target area Advanced Manufacturing and the research topic Lightweight product design, assembly and use. Polymer solar cells have emerged as a promising technology alternative to the existing silicon solar cells due to their light weight, mechanical robustness, and potential low cost. Polymer solar cells are particularly suitable for energy efficiency housing (e.g., rooftop solar panels, windows and skylights) and emerging applications such as self-powered wearable electronics, sensors for the Internet of Things, personal healthcare and medical devices, which are expected to grow rapidly over the next 5-10 years.**Recent progresses made in the Li and Aziz groups at the University of Waterloo as well as their collaborative efforts have laid the foundation for the proposed research. In this research Li and Aziz will team up to develop lightweight, flexible, and stable polymer solar cells based on novel polymer semiconductors and hole transporting layer and electron transporting layer materials. Advances will be made in both science and engineering, which include the development of new polymers for polymer solar cells, the development of new materials processing procedures, the development of new devices, and the demonstration of stable and high efficiency solar cell devices.**In this project we will partner with 1-Material, a world-leading manufacturer of organic semiconductor materials for polymer solar cells, and Canadian General-Tower (CGT), a world leader in coated polymeric films for industrial applications, to develop novel lightweight, flexible, and stable polymer solar cells. 1-Material and CGT have the research and manufacturing capability to support the research and adopt the technologies developed in the proposed research for the novel polymers and solar cell products, respectively.****