A research team from the South China University of Technology has claimed to have developed a new method of producing organic solar cells, which eliminate the need for potentially toxic materials while maintaining high conversion efficiencies.

The breakthrough could unlock the mass manufacturing of next-generation organic solar cells that won’t harm nature or humans.

Organic solar cells (OSCs) have great potential in power-generating windows and portable electronic devices. Lately, these cells have made significant progress in the power conversion efficiency (PCE). However, most of these organic solar cells are fabricated with small-area devices from highly toxic organic solvents by spin-coating in an inert atmosphere, and these aren’t compatible with mass production.

The team synthesized a non-fullerene acceptor (DTY6) through side-chain engineering and demonstrated its implementation in high-efficiency small-area organic solar cells and large-area modules.

The resulting devices exhibited outstanding power conversion efficiency of 16.1% for small-area organic cells (0.04 cm2) and 14.4% for large-area modules (18 cm2) when processed from a non-halogen solvent (o-xylene).

The research indicates that the side-chain engineering is an effective strategy to approach non-fullerene acceptors for non-halogen solvent-processed highly efficient large-area modules.

Similarly, a research team from the University of Michigan recently said they set a new efficiency record for color-neutral, transparent solar cells.

Instead of following the conventional silicon-based design, the team attained 8.1% efficiency and 43% transparency with an organic/carbon-based design. The cells carry a green tint, but it resembles the gray color on sunglasses and automobile windows.

Mercom had reported that the researchers at Iowa State University have come up with an innovative way to stabilize perovskite cells at high temperatures. They have developed a technique that has made the material more stable at higher temperatures.

Perovskites, with its properties, could be the right ingredient to spur the development of next-generation of low-cost and highly efficient solar cells.