Project R-5192

Low bandgap materials with an increased dielectric constant for use in organic solar cells (Research)

Organic photovoltaics (OPV) have emerged as an attractive technology complementary to other types of solar cells. Despite the enormous progress in device efficiency, currently approaching 10% for solution-processed devices, other fundamental principles need to be addressed to be able to take the next step. One of the proposed key aspects to improve the OPV efficiency is to increase the dielectric constants (relative permittivities, epsilon-r) of the applied photoactive organic materials. This project aims at synthesizing novel low bandgap polymers and small molecule analogues with enhanced epsilon and their evaluation in organic solar cells, thereby contributing to more profound fundamental understandings and the community's general challenge 20 (% efficiency) for 2020.

01 January 2014 - 31 December 2017