a cheap organic material, almost as effective as silicon.

Photovoltaic cells made from organic materials have been the focus of the next great solar revolution for years because of their low cost and ability to be installed on all types of substrates, including clothing fabrics. A new molecule developed by Chinese researchers solves this major shortcoming.

Efficiency 20.1%. For the first time, an organic solar cell has achieved an efficiency of over 20%, comparable to silicon cells, in a laboratory at the Wuhan University of Technology in China.

The efficiency of a photovoltaic cell measures its ability to convert sunlight into useful energy. 20% means that for every 100 watts of sunlight hitting the cell, 20 watts are converted into electricity. That’s a huge jump from the previous record of 17%, also signed by Chinese scientists.

How they did it. The researchers manipulated the internal structure of the cell to create a dense, ordered network of fibers that facilitate the movement of electrons between the different layers of the material.

The key, according to the study published in the journal Nature Communications, was the creation of a new type of molecule called L8-ThCl, which has a fibrillar structure. In addition to improving the movement of electrical charges to the electrodes, this electron acceptor increases the number of areas where light is converted into electricity.

Why is this important? Organic solar cells are flexible, lightweight, and potentially much cheaper than conventional silicon cells because they use organic materials such as carbon and some plastics, significantly reducing production costs.

The problem so far has been that they have not been able to compete with silicon in terms of efficiency. This advance opens the door to wider adoption of the technology and its integration into curved or moving surfaces, something previously unthinkable for traditional solar cells.

What is missing While progress has been significant, a hurdle remains in the long-term stability and durability of these cells, over which silicon still has an advantage. To be integrated into solar panels, organic solar cells must demonstrate that they can withstand inclement weather and the wear and tear of continuous use.

The next step for the researchers will be to test these cells in real-world conditions and observe their behavior over time. If the tests are successful, we could be at the beginning of a new era of solar technology with more affordable and applicable options across a much wider range of support.

Image | Heliatek, Nature

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