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Zinc oxide nanodiffusers to enhance p3ht:pcbm organic solar cells performance

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Abstract

This work proposes a new approach on exploring Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanodiffusers to improve organic solar cell (OSC) performance. ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) dispersed on the OSC top surface can reduce the device reflection and enhance the absorption of solar radiation in the photovoltaic active layer, due to the introduction of non-orthogonal light pathways in the device. The behavior of an organic P3HT:PCBM PV module was experimentally evaluated under different outdoor conditions (long-term measurements), confirming the increase of the OSC efficiency under diffuse radiation. The ZnO nanodiffusers contribution on the enhancement of OSCs performance was analyzed via computational simulations, based on finite element method. ZnO NPs with 160 nm in diameter were prepared by a green synthesis route and experimentally characterized. The results indicate that ZnO nanospheres of 160 nm in diameter present a high average Albedo value (0.88) in the visible spectrum range. The evaluated nanostructures scatter solar radiation predominantly in the forward direction. The use of ZnO NPs (160 nm diameter) on the organic solar cell top surface can reduce the device reflectance up to 95% at 530 nm, promoting an efficient light-coupling into the P3HT:PCBM active layer and simultaneously increasing the OSC active layer absorbance (26%). Light-trapping and anti-reflection contributions improve the photocurrent generation by enhancing the OSC short circuit current density by 27.9%.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are grateful to Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), the National Institute of Science and Technology of Photonics (INCT de Fotônica), the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES).

Funding

The authors declare that this project was partially supported by CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior).

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Author notes

  1. Sajid Farooq, Patricia M. A. Farias, Naum Fraidenraich, Andreas Stingl and Renato E. de Araujo have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Biomedical Optics and Imaging, Department of Electronic and Systems, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, 50732-970, PE, Brazil

    Olavo Cardozo, Sajid Farooq & Renato E. de Araujo

  2. Department of Biophysics and Radiobiology; CB, Post Graduate Program on Material Sciences; CCEN, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, 50670-901, PE, Brazil

    Patricia M. A. Farias

  3. Phornano Holding GmbH, Kleineingersdorfer Straße, Korneuburg, 2100, Austria

    Olavo Cardozo & Andreas Stingl

  4. Nuclear Energy Department, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, 50732-970, PE, Brazil

    Naum Fraidenraich

  5. Phornano Brasil Ltda, Recife, 50010-360, PE, Brazil

    Andreas Stingl

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  1. Olavo Cardozo
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Correspondence to Olavo Cardozo.

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Cardozo, O., Farooq, S., Farias, P.M.A. et al. Zinc oxide nanodiffusers to enhance p3ht:pcbm organic solar cells performance. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 33, 3225–3236 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-021-07524-8

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