POLYMER SOLAR CELL

• US 20190319203A1
• Filed: 10/10/2018
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Inventors: NING, WEN, LIU, PENG, JIANG, KAI-LI, FAN, SHOU-SHAN
• Granted Patent: US 11,251,387 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/30 comprising bulk heterojunctions, e.g. interpenetrating networks of donor and acceptor material domains
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/352 the inorganic nanostructures being nanotubes or nanowires, e.g. CdTe nanotubes in P3HT polymer
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/353 comprising blocking layers, e.g. exciton blocking layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/50 Photovoltaic [PV] devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/81 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/12 using liquid deposition, e.g. spin coating
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/10 Organic polymers or oligomers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/221 Carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells

Abstract

A polymer solar cell includes a photoactive layer, a cathode electrode, and an anode electrode. The photoactive layer includes a polymer layer and a carbon nanotube layer. The polymer layer includes a first polymer surface and a second polymer surface opposite to the first polymer surface. A portion of the carbon nanotube layer is embedded in the polymer layer, and another portion of the carbon nanotube layer is exposed from the polymer layer. The cathode electrode is located a surface of the carbon nanotube layer away from the polymer layer. The anode electrode is located on the first polymer surface and spaced apart from the carbon nanotube layer. The entire second polymer surface is exposed.

Claims

1. A polymer solar cell, comprising:

a photoactive layer comprising a polymer layer and a carbon nanotube layer, wherein the polymer layer comprises a first polymer surface and a second polymer surface opposite to the first polymer surface, a portion of the carbon nanotube layer is embedded in the polymer layer, and another portion of the carbon nanotube layer is exposed from the polymer layer;

a cathode electrode located a surface of the carbon nanotube layer away from the polymer layer; and

an anode electrode located on the first polymer surface and spaced apart from the carbon nanotube layer;

wherein the cathode electrode and the anode electrode are located on the same side of the polymer layer.

2. The polymer solar cell of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes, and length directions of the plurality of carbon nanotubes are parallel to the first polymer surface.

3. The polymer solar cell of claim 1, further comprising an insulating layer located between the cathode electrode and the polymer layer.

4. The polymer solar cell of claim 3, wherein the carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes, length directions of the plurality of carbon nanotubes are substantially perpendicular to the first polymer surface, and a portion of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is embedded in the cathode electrode.

5. The polymer solar cell of claim 3, wherein the carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes, length directions of the plurality of carbon nanotubes are substantially perpendicular to the first polymer surface, and an end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is flush with a surface of the insulating layer away from the polymer layer.

6. The polymer solar cell of claim 3, wherein the carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes, and an angle of greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees is formed between length directions of the plurality of carbon nanotubes and the first polymer surface.

7. The polymer solar cell of claim 1, wherein the portion of the carbon nanotube layer, that is exposed from the polymer layer, comprises a plurality of sub-carbon nanotube layers spaced apart from each other, the anode electrode comprises a plurality of sub-anode electrodes, the cathode electrode comprises a plurality of sub-cathode electrodes, each of the plurality of sub-cathode electrodes is located on a surface of one of the plurality of sub-carbon nanotube layer away from the polymer layer, and the plurality of sub-carbon nanotube layer and the plurality of sub-anode electrodes are spaced apart from each other and alternately disposed on the first polymer surface.

8. The polymer solar cell of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes, and length directions of the plurality of carbon nanotubes are substantially parallel to each other.

9. A polymer solar cell, comprising:

a photoactive layer comprising a polymer layer and a carbon nanotube layer, wherein the polymer layer comprises a first polymer surface, a second polymer surface opposite to the first polymer surface, and a side surface connecting the first polymer surface and the second polymer surface; and

a portion of the carbon nanotube layer is embedded in the polymer layer, and another portion of the carbon nanotube layer is exposed from the polymer layer;

a cathode electrode located a surface of the carbon nanotube layer away from the polymer layer; and

an anode electrode located on the side surface and spaced apart from the carbon nanotube layer.

10. The polymer solar cell of claim 9, wherein the anode electrode surrounds entire the side surface of the polymer layer.

11. The polymer solar cell of claim 9, wherein the carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes, and length directions of the plurality of carbon nanotubes are parallel to the first polymer surface.

12. The polymer solar cell of claim 9, further comprising an insulating layer located between the cathode electrode and the polymer layer.

13. The polymer solar cell of claim 12, wherein the carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes, length directions of the plurality of carbon nanotubes are substantially perpendicular to the first polymer surface, and a portion of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is embedded in the cathode electrode.

14. The polymer solar cell of claim 12, wherein the carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes, length directions of the plurality of carbon nanotubes are substantially perpendicular to the first polymer surface, and an end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is flush with a surface of the insulating layer away from the polymer layer.

15. The polymer solar cell of claim 12, wherein the carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes, and an angle of greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees is formed between length directions of the plurality of carbon nanotubes and the first polymer surface.

16. The polymer solar cell of claim 9, wherein the carbon nanotube layer exposed from the polymer layer comprises a plurality of sub-carbon nanotube layers spaced apart from each other, the anode electrode comprises a plurality of sub-anode electrodes, the cathode electrode comprises a plurality of sub-cathode electrodes, each of the plurality of sub-cathode electrodes is located on a surface of one of the plurality of sub-carbon nanotube layer away from the polymer layer, and the plurality of sub-carbon nanotube layer and the plurality of sub-anode electrodes are spaced apart from each other and alternately disposed on the first polymer surface.

17. The polymer solar cell of claim 9, wherein the carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes, and length directions of the plurality of carbon nanotubes are substantially parallel to each other.

18. A polymer solar cell, comprising:

a photoactive layer comprising a polymer layer and a carbon nanotube layer, wherein, a portion of the carbon nanotube layer is embedded in the polymer layer, and another portion of the carbon nanotube layer is exposed from the polymer layer;

a cathode electrode located a surface of the carbon nanotube layer away from the polymer layer; and

an anode electrode located on a surface of the polymer layer and spaced apart from the carbon nanotube layer.

19. The polymer solar cell of claim 18, wherein the carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes, and length directions of the plurality of carbon nanotubes are parallel to the first polymer surface.

20. The polymer solar cell of claim 18, further comprising an insulating layer located between the cathode electrode and the polymer layer, the carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes, length directions of the plurality of carbon nanotubes are substantially perpendicular to the first polymer surface, and the plurality of carbon nanotubes is exposed from the polymer layer and passes through the insulating layer to be in direct contact with the cathode electrode.