Flexible all-carbon photovoltaics with improved thermal stability

Journal Article · Wed Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Journal of Solid State Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JSSC.2014.07.010· OSTI ID:22475563

Tang, Chun; Ishihara, Hidetaka; Sodhi, Jaskiranjeet; Chen, Yen-Chang; Siordia, Andrew; Martini, Ashlie

The structurally robust nature of nanocarbon allotropes, e.g., semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and C{sub 60}s, makes them tantalizing candidates for thermally stable and mechanically flexible photovoltaic applications. However, C{sub 60}s rapidly dissociate away from the basal of SWCNTs under thermal stimuli as a result of weak intermolecular forces that “lock up” the binary assemblies. Here, we explore use of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) as geometrically tailored protecting layers to suppress the unwanted dissociation of C{sub 60}s. The underlying mechanisms are explained using a combination of molecular dynamics simulations and transition state theory, revealing the temperature dependent disassociation of C{sub 60}s from the SWCNT basal plane. Our strategy provides fundamental guidelines for integrating all-carbon based nano-p/n junctions with optimized structural and thermal stability. External quantum efficiency and output current–voltage characteristics are used to experimentally quantify the effectiveness of GNR membranes under high temperature annealing. Further, the resulting C{sub 60}:SWCNT:GNR ternary composites display excellent mechanical stability, even after iterative bending tests. - Graphical abstract: The incorporation of solvent resistant, mechanically flexible and electrically addressable 2-D soft graphene nanoribbons facilitates the assembly of photoconductive carbon nano-p/n junctions for thermally stable and flexible photovoltaic cells.

• OSTI ID: 22475563
• Journal Information: Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Vol. 224; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2014 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0022-4596
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ANNEALING
CARBON NANOTUBES
DISSOCIATION
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
FULLERENES
GRAPHENE
INTERMOLECULAR FORCES
ITERATIVE METHODS
LAYERS
MEMBRANES
MOLECULAR DYNAMICS METHOD
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
P-N JUNCTIONS
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
SOLVENTS
STABILITY
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE