Improved Photovoltaic Materials Based on Alpha-Substituted Perylene Diimide

SUMMARY

• Use of organic photovoltaic (OPV) solar cells are a developing energy technology which shows significant potential to become a cheap source of electric energy production even when compared to silicon-based solar cells.  As compared to silicon solar cells, OPV cells weigh less since they can be constructed in thinner configurations, cost less to manufacture, exhibit a higher degree of flexibility/versatility, and their use/fabrication have a lower impact on the environment.  These qualities make OPV cells good candidates for industrial applications in the textile, vehicle, and building sectors, as well as for creating power in areas where energy generation infrastructure is not available.
• Current challenges in OPV solar cell development include two key issues; the need to increase device power conversion efficiencies, and the high cost of both donor and acceptor materials used in unit construction.  To develop solutions to current OPV solar cell limitations the inventors have developed/synthesized small electron deficient molecular compounds and polymers which can act as electron acceptors in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) type OPV solar cells.  
• Initial experimental testing of the synthesized perylene diimide derivatives functionalized at the ortho-position (alpha PPID, alpha PBDT) for use as electron acceptors in non-fullerene OPV cells exhibited high electron mobilities.  The synthesized alpha PDI material as used as an acceptor showed superior photovoltaic performance as compared to the synthesized beta PDI-based derivative by as much as 39%.  Overall, testing indicated that use of alpha substituted PDI derivatives is a promising electron acceptor material for enhancing the operation/efficiency of OPV solar cells.  
• Current approaches to develop new electron acceptor materials for use in OPV solar cells such as the fullerene derivatives PC61BM and PC71BM show promise, however their high production costs, their unstable nature, and their limited visible light absorption qualities minimize their potential for use in widespread commercial/industrial applications.  

FIGURE

ADVANTAGES

ADVANTAGES

• Increased photovoltaic performance
• Enhanced power conversion efficiencies
• Potential to realize cost efficiencies in OPV manufacturing and resulting wider OPV commercial utilization

APPLICATIONS

• Organic photovoltaic solar cells

December 16, 2021

Proof of concept

Patent Pending

Licensing,Co-development

Yu Luping