Czech scientists contribute to the development of eco-friendly solar cells

A team of scientists from the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IMC CAS), in collaboration with researchers from Linköping University in Sweden, has achieved significant progress in the development of eco-friendly organic solar cells. These cells offer a greener alternative to conventional silicon based solar panels, as their production does not require toxic solvents and uses functional organic materials. The results of the research were published in the prestigious journal Nature Energy.

The new technology is comparable to silicon panels but boasts advantages such as lower environmental impact and production costs. Organic cells do not contain heavy metals, nor do they require toxic solvents for manufacturing. Thanks to their lower weight, they also offer the potential for use in areas unsuitable for traditional solar panels – for example, as transparent window films or in the form of roof coverings, where the individual cells can be easily interlocked, much like roof tiles.

The scientists utilized a revolutionary approach using polymers and functional organic materials. “These are complex multi-component systems containing a polymeric component and small organic molecules that interact with each other, which helps facilitate charge transfer,” explains Libor Kobera from the Structural Analysis Department of the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry CAS.

The team at the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry contributes to the collaboration through structural analysis using NMR spectroscopy. “Our task is to reveal the structure of the studied material and how the individual components are organized. Subsequently, we strive to identify the relationship between the structure and the properties of these materials,” explains Jiří Brus, Head of the Structural Analysis Department.

Collaboration with Linköping University

The Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy Laboratory at IMC CAS has been successfully collaborating with Professor Feng Gao’s team at Linköping University for over five years. This partnership began following the recommendation of Dr. J. Mindemark from Uppsala University and is built on the Czech team's excellent research achievements.

The outcome of this long-term collaboration is a series of publications in high-impact journals, such as Nature Communications, Nature Energy, and Science. The Czech team’s precise approach to research has earned them high recognition and a strong position within the international research group.

The central topic of this long-term research is solar cells. Professor Gao’s team focuses on finding new materials and approaches to enhance efficiency and environmental friendliness. Special attention is paid to perovskite materials, which have attractive properties but also drawbacks, such as low stability and environmental concerns due to heavy metal content.

The collaboration with Linköping University is also part of a current project funded by the Czech Science Foundation (GA24-10199S), which focuses on developing solid-state NMR spectroscopy for paramagnetic systems.

 

Zhang, R., Chen, H., Wang, T. et al. Equally high efficiencies of organic solar cells processed from different solvents reveal key factors for morphology control. Nat Energy (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-024-01678-5.