Japanese scientists have built organic solar cells and modules using donors and acceptors that are green light selective. They used a mixture of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and fluorinated naphtobistiadiazole.
A research team from Osaka University in Japan has developed wavelength-selective green light organic solar cells (OSCs) that emit blue and red light needed for crop growth and use green light, which makes only a small contribution to photosynthesis, for energy generation.
“This was developed by taking advantage of the wavelength selectivity of OSCs,” said the study’s lead author, Yutaka Ye. “Like OSCs are lightweight and flexible. If they can be installed in agricultural greenhouses, it will be possible to generate electricity and grow crops on the same agricultural land.”
The research was presented in “Green light wavelength-selective organic solar cells: module fabrication and crop evaluation towards agrivoltaic solar cells”, recently published in materialstoday.
The new cell technology consists of an organic PV device based on a poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) donor that, according to the scientists exhibits optimal green wavelength-selective absorption, and A wavelength-selective for green light fluorinated naphtobistiadiazole-based non-fullerene acceptor (FNTz-FA).
The researchers obtained the P3HT material for the cell from the American chemical company Sigma Aldrich and FNTz-FA was synthesized according to previous scientific research. The cell is built with a substrate made of indium tin oxide (ITO), a window layer of zinc oxide (ZnO), the P3HT donor, the FNTz-FA acceptor, a buffer layer made of molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) and a silver (Ag) metal contact.
Using a similar cell architecture, but with aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), polyethylenimine (PEI), and PEDOT:PSS layers, as well as a gold (Au) metal contact, the scientists then constructed organic solar modules on a surface area of 100 cm2 and a scale of 400 cm2.
Tested under standard lighting conditions, the module achieved a total transmission of 91% and an energy conversion efficiency of 1.32%. It also achieved an open-circuit voltage of 4.50 V, a short-circuit current density of 45.5 mA and a fill factor of 41%. “These results indicate that the P3HT:FNTz-FA films are applicable to module-sized OSCs for use in agricultural studies,” the scientists said.
They also found that the average transmittance value of the P3HT:FNTz-FA blend films was 46%. “Measurements of the photosynthetic rate showed that the P3HT:FNTz-FA blend film does not interfere with the growth of strawberries, and the wavelength-selective absorption in green light does not negatively affect the photosynthetic rate for tomatoes under the same emitted irradiation power. they explained further.
Through a series of preliminary tests, they also found that tomato growth was good under indoor light transmitted through the proposed solar panels photosynthesis rate and strong potential in agrivoltaic applications.
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