Carbon Nanotube - Fullerene Composite for Polymer Solar Cells

摘要

Harvesting energy directly from the abundant resource of solar radiation through the use of solar cells is increasingly becoming a major component of future global energy production. Compared with silicon-based technologies, polymer solar cells (PSCs) based on semiconducting polymers promise moderate power conversion efficiencies and significantly lower cost. On the other hand, PSCs can be made by highly scalable, high-speed coating and printing processes such as spray painting and inkjet printing, to cover large areas such as rooftops or the outside walls of a building, or on flexible plastic substrates. They provide a low-cost alternative for the future. Among donor-acceptor type PSCs, the most promising material combination is poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and the soluble fullerene derivative 6,6-phenyl C_(61)-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). Although PCBM can form better films and has higher electron mobility than fullerene, it is intrinsically expensive than the latter. On the other hand, C_(60) is a stronger electron acceptor and is more efficient in charge separation than PCBM. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are excellent at electron transport. It is anticipated the incorporation of CNTs in the P3HT/ C_(60) system will facilitate electron transport and hence the overall cell efficiency. Here, we present the synthesis of C_(60)-CNT complexes via microwave induced reactions and their application in PSC fabrication.