Increasing photovoltaic device stability

While previous research on organic solar cells has focused on increasing conversion efficiency, nanoelectronics research institute IMEC and Cytec Industries will collaborate to address the operational lifetime of organic solar cells, presently not extendable beyond five years. The project will look to stabilise the nanomorphology of an active material blend – often prone to phase segregation under the influence of time and temperature. IMEC and Cytec will also examine chemical synthesis and materials processing. The project, which is co sponsored by the Institute for the Promotion of Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders, will run for two years and is due to finish in March, 2011. Martin Court, Cytec's specialty chemicals vice president of r&d, said: "Cytec is very pleased to have the opportunity to work on this project together with IMEC. We are convinced that Cytec's capabilities in coatings, adhesives, inks and energy curing technology combined with IMEC's outstanding processing and technology capabilities will make this project a success." IMEC's programme director photovoltaics, Jef Poortmans (pictured), added: "Organic solar cell technology is one of the most exciting emerging technologies for low cost photovoltaic cells. IMEC is very pleased to have the opportunity to combine its process technology expertise with the excellent skills of Cytec in the field of synthesis and coatings to address the crucial issue of device stability and encapsulation".