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Graphene-enhanced Polymer Bulk-heterojunction Solar Cells

Yu, Fei
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439310775

Abstract Details

2015, PhD, University of Cincinnati, Engineering and Applied Science: Materials Science.
ABSTRACT: Despite the growth of polymer based photovoltaic devices in the past decade, major challenges in devices performance improvement remain unsolved. To further improve the power conversion efficiency, charge mobility in the active layer needs to be greatly improved, and a reliable method to control the donor-acceptor blend morphology to a size scale similar to exciton diffusion length is necessary. Graphene is a novel material with superior physical properties. In this thesis, graphene is prepared through a solution exfoliation process and its dimensions and properties are characterized. The interaction between conjugated polymer chains and graphene nanosheets is studied by spectroscopic methods. The effect of graphene on polymer BHJ solar cell performance and OPV device physics are discussed when relatively low weight fraction of graphene is introduced into a modified P3HT:PCBM photovoltaic devices in order to improve OPV device properties. Strong influence on active layer morphology is observed along with the introduction of graphene, which also strongly contribute to OPV device performance improvement. The morphology of active layer is systemically investigated by a variety of characterization methods, including atomic force microscope (AFM), neutron reflectivity (NR), grazing incident-angle X-ray diffraction (GIXRD). Some other efforts to further improve the film morphology are also discussed in this thesis. The goal of this thesis is to demonstrate the possibility of using graphene to manipulate the active layer morphology and to enhance the performance of polymer based bulk-heterojunction solar cells, which has great potential to replace current generation of solar cells device.
Vikram Kuppa, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Gregory Beaucage, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Jude Iroh, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Vesselin Shanov, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
128 p.
Materials Science
Graphene; Solar cell; Bulk-heterojunction; P3HT; PCBM; Morphology

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Yu, F. (2015). Graphene-enhanced Polymer Bulk-heterojunction Solar Cells [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439310775

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Yu, Fei. Graphene-enhanced Polymer Bulk-heterojunction Solar Cells. 2015. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439310775.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Yu, Fei. "Graphene-enhanced Polymer Bulk-heterojunction Solar Cells." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439310775

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1439310775
515
© 2015, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.