As lab-scale perovskite solar cells (PSCs) approach their efficiency limits, reproducing this performance in large-area, manufacturable devices remains challenging. Here, we show that printing interlayers of metal oxide nanoparticles, specifically Al2O3 and SnO2, can systematically control the morphology and interfacial energetics of solution-processed PC61BM electron transport layers (ETLs) in flexible roll-to-roll printed PSCs. These nanoparticle interlayers enhance ETL uniformity, reduce pinholes, and increase shunt resistance, improving power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) and reducing device failure rates by 50%. Through a combination of systematic device characterization, morphological, spectroscopic and energetic analysis, coupled with drift-diffusion simulations, the distinct roles of insulating (Al2O3) and semiconducting (SnO2) nanoparticle interlayers in mediating carrier extraction and recombination are elucidated. Al2O3 suppresses interfacial recombination and improves device reproducibility, albeit with some penalty in short-circuit current, whereas SnO2 enhances electronic coupling and charge extraction, delivering a champion PCE of 11.0% (active area: 0.5 cm2). Incorporating SnO2 interlayers into larger-area modules (active area: 7.2 cm2) further demonstrates the robustness of this strategy under manufacturing-relevant conditions. Together, these results provide an important framework for nanoparticle-mediated interface engineering and establish a simple, effective, and scalable route to improving both performance and yield in printed large-area PSCs.

In this study, we developed a water-based ink composed of the polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) and carbon nanotube (CNT) to fabricate flexible planar microsupercapacitor (MSC) using scalable manufacturing techniques. The research focused on optimizing aspects of electrochemical performance, including electrode design, ionic concentration, film thickness, electron-collecting layers, encapsulation, circuit interconnection, and integration into practical applications such as powering a self-sufficient circuit equipped with a Near Field Communication temperature sensor. MSCs fabricated with 12 layers achieved a high areal capacitance of 212.4 mF & centerdot;cm-2 and a low internal resistance of 12 Omega, as well as demonstrated favorable energy and power densities of 16.6 mu W & centerdot;h & centerdot;cm-2 and 318.7 mu W & centerdot;cm-2, respectively. Furthermore, the capacitance retention remained above 85% after 5000 charge-discharge cycles, indicating good cycling stability. Notably, the system works efficiently without the need for an electron-collecting layer, thanks to the high conductivity of the developed ink, which facilitated both charge storage and transport. Interconnected MSC circuits were successfully integrated into a self-sustaining system powered by a solar device, which operated an NFC temperature sensor for over 17 min. Overall, the materials and scalable fabrication methods presented in this study offer a versatile, efficient, and environmentally friendly route for producing high-performance MSCs.

Achieving reproducible, high-performance organic solar cells (OSCs) requires precise control over the molar mass of donor polymers, as it governs film formation, morphology, and charge transport. Here, we systematically investigate the influence of Stille polymerization conditions on the molar mass, optoelectronic properties, morphology, and device performance of the benchmark donor polymer D18. By varying reaction time, catalyst type, and catalyst loading, we access D18 batches with weight-average molar masses (M w) ranging from approximately 12 to 93 kg·mol-1. Gel permeation chromatography, UV-vis absorption, cyclic voltammetry, optical microscopy, profilometry, and AFM indicate that higher-M w polymers exhibit enhanced aggregation signatures, as well as smoother, more compact films, and improved donor-acceptor phase separation compared to low-M w analogues. Bulk heterojunction OSCs with an inverted architecture (R2R-patterned PET/IMI)/ZnO/D18:Y6:PC70BM/PEDOT:PSS/Ag) are fabricated by blade coating under ambient atmosphere over large active areas (0.55 cm2). Devices based on low-M w D18 (M w ≈ 12-14 kg·mol-1) show poor performance (PCE < 2%), which correlates with low shunt resistance and unfavorable morphology, whereas high-M w D18 samples (M w ≈ 83-93 kg·mol-1) reach power conversion efficiencies of 7.8-8.0%, approaching that of a commercial D18 reference (8.9%). A solvent study further reveals that halogenated solvents (chloroform, chlorobenzene) are required to fully realize the potential of high-M w D18, while o-xylene yields more homogeneous films and competitive efficiencies primarily for low-M w material. These findings highlight molar mass control and solvent selection as interdependent parameters for optimizing morphology and device performance in scalable, blade-coated D18-based organic solar cells.

In this study, we report the synthesis and characterization of a fluorinated polymer, PTB7-FTh, designed as a donor material for organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices. The polymer structure is based on PTB7-Th, with the addition of fluorine substituents to enhance molecular interactions and energy level alignment. OPV devices were fabricated using a scalable blade coating technique under an ambient atmosphere, utilizing different solvent systems, donor-to-acceptor ratios, and acceptor materials (Y6 and PC71BM). The effects of active layer thickness and thermal annealing on device performance were also investigated. The optimized ternary blend system, incorporating PTB7-FTh, Y6, and PC71BM (1:1.6:0.2), exhibited a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.03%, with an open-circuit voltage (V oc) of 0.76 V, a short-circuit current density (J sc) of 13.39 mA cm-2, and a fill factor (FF) of 49.22%. The system PTB7-FTh:Y6:PCBM, 12 mg mL-1 in chloroform, 1:1.6:0.2, pretreatment heating at 80 °C, named CF system, demonstrated superior charge transport and light absorption properties, particularly after thermal annealing, which led to efficiency improvements. The use of o-xylene as a processing solvent proved advantageous for scalability while maintaining competitive device performance compared to those fabricated under inert conditions. This study highlights the potential of PTB7-FTh as a promising donor material and underscores the importance of solvent selection, acceptor composition, and processing conditions for advancing the scalability of OPV technology.

Microsupercapacitor (MSC) devices have emerged in recent decades as promising technological solutions for various applications, including wearable electronics, portable storage devices, and medical devices. MSCs are known for their small dimensions, rapid energy storage, and fast-release capabilities, making them a viable alternative to traditional energy storage systems. Nevertheless, the efficient and cost-effective mass production of MSCs remains a significant challenge for their widespread adoption. In this study, we developed an ink-based composite of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate and carbon nanotubes and examined its suitability to coat flexible PET substrates. Afterward, we explored the use of this composite in the manufacturing of MSC devices through large-area scalable techniques, whose design was optimized considering their electrochemical performance . The simple and scalable processes deployed enabled the production of flexible devices with outstanding electrochemical performance, with a high capacitance of 24.8 mF.cm-2 and a low internal resistance of 24 Ohms. Furthermore, a stability assessment revealed strong capacitive retention of the devices even after 5,000 charge-discharge cycles, with 80% of the initial capacitance maintained and a low leakage current of 40 µA. The manufacturing methodology adopted proved to be versatile, yielding high-performance devices.

Organic photovoltaics (OPV) have emerged as a promising solution for sustainable energy applications, offering flexibility, low toxicity, and facile integration into innovative products. However, bridging the performance gap between lab-scale cells and industrial panels remains critical for achieving a cost-competitive technology. This study introduces a novel active layer ink formulation developed by Brilliant Matters that demonstrates high batch-to-batch reproducibility and lab-scale PCEs exceeding 11.4% with enhanced stability. Through rigorous lab-to-fab validation, the ink was successfully adapted to blade-and slot-die coating techniques, ultimately achieving fully-printed commercial panels manufactured at Oninn that exhibited an average PCE of 5.5%, with excellent long-term stability under accelerated aging tests (ISOS-L-2). Performance remained robust under real-life conditions, supporting a projected long panel lifetime. These results represent a 55% performance increase over existing commercial inks and demonstrate the scalability of BM’s formulation for industrial OPV production. This study underscores the potential for further bridging the efficiency gap with silicon PV technologies, paving the way for cost-effective, high-performance OPV solutions.

The development of a reliable encapsulation is a key factor for protecting perovskite solar cells from extrinsic degradation and an important step to commercialization. The use of edge sealing materials has already been proven effective for rigid substrates. However, for flexible devices, a different encapsulation strategy must be developed. In this study, epoxy- and acrylic-based adhesives were tested over blade-coated p -i -n MAPI devices and the encapsulation was evaluated with current -voltage measurements, calcium, and thermal stability tests. Although causing discoloration around the cells, over the area without the evaporated top electrode, the epoxy adhesive showed great performance after encapsulation and under thermal stress. This strategy was used to compare the stability of PEDOT:PSS and NiO as HTL. After an initial drop of 40 % in performance, the device with NiO was stable for over 5500 h under 85 degrees C. These results show that this method can be used for evaluating the stability of perovskite solar cell and that, with further development of a proper buffer layer, epoxy-based adhesives are an effective strategy for flexible encapsulation.

PMMA:MXene passivates a perovskite/ETL interface boosting performance and stability. Less interfacial defects increase the charge lifetime resulting in a higher density of photo-generated carriers.

The emergent Internet of Things (IoT) market has increased the need of sensors, actuators and nanogenerators, demanding cost-effective and large-scale manufacturing methods to fabricate these devices. Printed electronics (PE), which consists of the application printing and coating technologies in the deposition of functional materials, is one of the ways to process low-cost lightweight, semi-transparent, and flexible devices, usually employing polymers as functional materials. In this work we present the fabrication of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) copolymer-based printed piezoelectric devices applying different semi-transparent flexible conductive substrates as bottom electrodes. The screen-printing process was chosen as a large-scale cost-effective fabrication method at low-temperature processing. Printing and the laser scribing parameters were established, and the effectively use of silver and PEDOT:PSS as top electrodes was demonstrated. The final devices were electrically poled and characterized by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and correlations among the device' performance regarding the different bottom and top electrodes were set up, leading to processing recommendations. Employing a cycle olefin polymer coated with silver nanowires (AgNW) as substrate, P(VDF-TrFE) as active material and silver as top electrode, a 223 µF/m2 capacitance was obtained when compressing at 2.37 KPa, demonstrating the devices charge storage capacity by the application of a mechanical stress. All the employed processing conditions can be easily integrated in a R2R pilot line, allowing high throughput, low-cost and large-area manufacturing. Additionally, the use of the polymer substrates enables the fabrication of flexible and lightweight devices.

The latest advances in materials development have re-inspired interest in organic photovoltaic (OPV) technology, which recently achieved a new power conversion efficiency (PCE) record of over 18% (Cui et al., 2021). At the same time, the last 13 years have seen the boom of metal halide perovskite (MHP) semiconductors due to their exciting performance as light-harvesting layers in solar cells (PCE has nearly reached 26%), giving rise to unprecedented attention from both the academic and industrial photovoltaic community.

Photovoltaics (PVs) are a critical technology for curbing growing levels of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, and meeting increases in future demand for low-carbon electricity. In order to fulfill ambitions for net-zero carbon dioxide equivalent (CO _2 eq) emissions worldwide, the global cumulative capacity of solar PVs must increase by an order of magnitude from 0.9 TW _p in 2021 to 8.5 TW _p by 2050 according to the International Renewable Energy Agency, which is considered to be a highly conservative estimate. In 2020, the Henry Royce Institute brought together the UK PV community to discuss the critical technological and infrastructure challenges that need to be overcome to address the vast challenges in accelerating PV deployment. Herein, we examine the key developments in the global community, especially the progress made in the field since this earlier roadmap, bringing together experts primarily from the UK across the breadth of the PVs community. The focus is both on the challenges in improving the efficiency, stability and levelized cost of electricity of current technologies for utility-scale PVs, as well as the fundamental questions in novel technologies that can have a significant impact on emerging markets, such as indoor PVs, space PVs, and agrivoltaics. We discuss challenges in advanced metrology and computational tools, as well as the growing synergies between PVs and solar fuels, and offer a perspective on the environmental sustainability of the PV industry. Through this roadmap, we emphasize promising pathways forward in both the short- and long-term, and for communities working on technologies across a range of maturity levels to learn from each other.

Building-integrated photovoltaics play a key role in the reduction of greenhouse gases emission towards sustainability in the building and construction sector. Organic solar technology holds several advantages such as lightweight, flexibility and semitransparency, suiting well for this type of application. When integrated into windows and facades, it provides a dual benefit: it acts as a solar radiation barrier, improving indoor thermal comfort, while also generating off-grid power. Besides that, organic devices are known to be more efficient than traditional photovoltaics based in silicon in diffuse and low light conditions. Nevertheless, only a few studies have been conducted in the area employing large-area commercial modules, in real operational conditions and for a long-term period. This work has the purpose of reducing this gap and shine a light on this debate bringing an analysis based on real data of a set of organic panels laminated in glass in a vertical pioneer installation in Latin America. For this, several linear regression models were tested to predict the energy generation from meteorological data and solar position throughout four years of operation, and the best models developed achieved 0.76 and 0.81 values for R2 with validation data, respectively for simple and multiple regressions. A visual analysis showed that the OPV system produced more energy in winter due to lower solar altitude, despite lower global radiation levels. The most significant variables in the models were the global solar radiation and the solar altitude. The use of glass lamination and vertical orientation likely preserved the performance of the panels, keeping energy generation consistent over four years, akin to the first year.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) cells allow the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity without CO2 emission. Finding a way to cheaply utilize the vast amount of solar energy is one of the biggest challenges for this technology. The organic photovoltaic cells (OPV) are based on solution-processed photoactive polymers and can be fabricated via roll-to-roll (R2R) processes, which allow high production throughput with low costs. CSEM Brasil is building the foundations of future high-tech industries in Brazil and one of our key technology development areas is OPV modules production using R2R coating. In this work, polymer solar cells based on P3HT: PC[60]BM were prepared by R2R coating (electron transport, active and hole transport layers – ETL, AL and HTL) and by screen printing (top silver electrode). In order to save material and give more transparency of the OPV module were compared and evaluated the performance of two different suppliers of Ag paste (A and B) in three different top contact configurations, solid, grid and honeycomb. Additionally, were compared two different screen suppliers (I and II) for screen printing process and the Ag paste drying time studied. The comparisons were made with modules with an active area of 21.6 cm2 (6 stripes serially connected). Photovoltaic performance was evaluated in terms of Ag paste and screens suppliers, Ag pattern and drying time. Finally, modules were encapsulated in a R2R laminator using a flexible barrier film and evaluated in terms of lifetime.

Photovoltaics (PVs) are a critical technology for curbing growing levels of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, and meeting increases in future demand for low-carbon electricity. In order to fulfil ambitions for net-zero carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq) emissions worldwide, the global cumulative capacity of solar PVs must increase by an order of magnitude from 0.9 TWp in 2021 to 8.5 TWp by 2050 according to the International Renewable Energy Agency, which is considered to be a highly conservative estimate. In 2020, the Henry Royce Institute brought together the UK PV community to discuss the critical technological and infrastructure challenges that need to be overcome to address the vast challenges in accelerating PV deployment. Herein, we examine the key developments in the global community, especially the progress made in the field since this earlier roadmap, bringing together experts primarily from the UK across the breadth of the photovoltaics community. The focus is both on the challenges in improving the efficiency, stability and levelized cost of electricity of current technologies for utility-scale PVs, as well as the fundamental questions in novel technologies that can have a significant impact on emerging markets, such as indoor PVs, space PVs, and agrivoltaics. We discuss challenges in advanced metrology and computational tools, as well as the growing synergies between PVs and solar fuels, and offer a perspective on the environmental sustainability of the PV industry. Through this roadmap, we emphasize promising pathways forward in both the short- and long-term, and for communities working on technologies across a range of maturity levels to learn from each other.

Light-induced formation of fullerene/BCP CT complexes results in new electronic states which enable efficient electron-transport through BCP to the electrode.

Two different methods are used to deposit Nb2O5 as compact electron transport layers in n-i-p double cation mixed-halide perovskite Cs0.17FA0.83Pb(I0.83Br0.17)3 solar cells: reactive sputtering and spin coating. These different Nb2O5 films influenced perovskite growth and the charge transport in the cells. Photovoltaic parameters were obtained with an average power conversion efficiency of 17.0% and 15.7% for the devices based on sputtered and spin-coated Nb2O5, respectively. The mobility and the extracted charges were higher in sputtered Nb2O5-based devices than in the spin-coated ones. This effect is attributed to the larger grain sizes observed in the perovskite films when deposited onto the sputtered Nb2O5 layers. The higher densities of grain boundaries in the spin-coated Nb2O5-based devices increase ion diffusion and are expected to decrease efficiency.

In this paper, the effect of a silafluorene derivative copolymer, the poly[2,7-(9,9-dioctyl-dibenzosilole)-alt-4,7-bis(thiophene-2-yl)benzo-2,1,3-thiadiazole] (PSiF-DBT) sensitized by a simpler homopolymer, the poly[2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MDMO-PPV) were investigated in a bilayer and ternary blend configuration. The energy transfer between the polymers prior to electron transfer to the acceptors can be an efficient alternative to photocurrent improvement in photovoltaic devices. The interactions between the two donor polymer films were evaluated optically and morphologically with several experimental techniques and correlated to the photovoltaic performance. Improved photon to charge conversion was observed in the blend films at different device geometries-considering bilayer devices with fullerene and inverted flexible devices blade coated in air conditions with a non-fullerene small molecule acceptor. Resonant Auger spectroscopy using the core-hole clock method was employed to evaluate the ultrafast charge delocalization times of conjugated polymers in the low-femtosecond regime. Density functional theory and time-dependent DFT methods were used to help understand some experimental observations. The results show that the homopolymer can improve the absorption spectra and the nonradiative-energy transfer from MDMO-PPV to PSiF-DBT and act as a photosensitizer in the copolymer units. In addition, the PSiF-DBT blended with MDMO-PPV exhibits a more organized structure than the neat material resulting in better absorption stability of films kept under continuous illumination.