Method for making polymer solar cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11114635-B2
Application number	US-201816155894-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2018
Priority date	Apr 16, 2018
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

A method for making a polymer solar cell includes placing a carbon nanotube array into a polymer solution. The carbon nanotube array includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes. Each carbon nanotube includes a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The polymer solution is cured to form a polymer layer including a first polymer surface and a second polymer surface opposite to the first polymer surface. The first end is exposed from the polymer layer, and the second end is embedded in the polymer layer. An insulating layer is formed on the first polymer surface. A cathode electrode is formed on a surface of the insulating layer away from the polymer layer, and the first end passes through the insulating layer and is in direct contact with the cathode electrode. An anode electrode is formed on the second polymer surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for making a polymer solar cell, comprising:
placing a carbon nanotube array into a polymer solution, wherein the carbon nanotube array comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes, each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the first end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is exposed from the polymer solution, and the second end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is immersed in the polymer solution;
curing the polymer solution to form a polymer layer, so that a photoactive layer consisting of the polymer layer and the plurality of carbon nanotubes is formed, wherein a material of the polymer layer is polymer, the polymer layer comprises a first polymer surface and a second polymer surface opposite to the first polymer surface, the first end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is exposed from the polymer layer, and the second end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is embedded in the polymer layer;
forming an insulating layer on the first polymer surface, wherein the first end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes passes through the insulating layer and exposed from the insulating layer;
forming a cathode electrode on a surface of the insulating layer away from the polymer layer, wherein the first end of each of the carbon nanotubes is in direct contact with the cathode electrode, the plurality of carbon nanotubes are electron acceptors, electrons are generated at a contact surface of the polymer layer and the plurality of carbon nanotubes, and an electrical path is defined from the plurality of carbon nanotubes to the cathode electrode; and
forming an anode electrode on the second polymer surface.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the cathode electrode on the surface of the insulating layer away from the polymer layer further comprises embedding the first end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes in the cathode electrode.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the cathode electrode on the surface of the insulating layer away from the polymer layer further comprises flushing the first end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes with the surface of the insulating layer away from the polymer layer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein length directions of the plurality of carbon nanotubes are substantially perpendicular to the first polymer surface.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the carbon nanotube array into the polymer solution comprises:
growing the carbon nanotube array comprising the plurality of carbon nanotubes on a growth substrate, wherein the first end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is in direct contact with the growth substrate, and the second end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is away from the growth substrate;
placing the polymer solution in a container; and
making a portion of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes immersed in the polymer solution.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the carbon nanotube array into the polymer solution comprises:
growing the carbon nanotube array comprising the plurality of carbon nanotubes on a growth substrate, wherein the first end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is in direct contact with the growth substrate, and the second end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is away from the growth substrate;
removing the growth substrate;
placing the polymer solution in a container; and
immersing a portion of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes in the polymer solution.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising pressing the carbon nanotube array such that the plurality of carbon nanotubes tilt, after placing the carbon nanotube array into the polymer solution and before curing the polymer solution.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein after pressing the carbon nanotube, an angle greater than 30 degrees and less than 60 degrees is formed between the first polymer surface and the plurality of carbon nanotubes.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a reflective layer on a surface of the cathode electrode away from the insulating layer after forming the cathode electrode, or on a surface of the anode electrode.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming an exciton blocking layer on the first polymer surface, after curing the polymer solution and before forming the insulating layer.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming an exciton blocking layer on the second polymer surface before forming the anode electrode.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anode electrode is in direct contact with the second polymer surface.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein a portion of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is embedded in the polymer layer, and the portion is in direct contact with the polymer layer.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein a material of the insulating layer is polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polyperfluoroethylene propylene (PEP), or polyvinyl fluoride (PVF).

15. A method for making a polymer solar cell, comprising:
placing a carbon nanotube array into a polymer solution, wherein the carbon nanotube array comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes, each of the plurality of carbon nanotube has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the first end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is exposed from the polymer solution, and the second end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is immersed in the polymer solution;
curing the polymer solution to form a polymer layer, wherein the polymer layer comprises a first polymer surface and a second polymer surface opposite to the first polymer surface, the first end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is exposed from the polymer layer, and the second end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is embedded in the polymer layer;
forming an insulating layer on the first polymer surface, wherein the first end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes passes through the insulating layer and exposed from the insulating layer;
forming a cathode electrode on a surface of the insulating layer away from the polymer layer, wherein the first end of each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is in direct contact with the cathode electrode, electrons are generated at a contact surface of the polymer layer and the plurality of carbon nanotubes, and an electrical path is defined from the plurality of carbon nanotubes to the cathode electrode; and
forming an anode electrode on the second polymer surface, wherein the anode electrode is in direct contact with the second polymer surface.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein a material of the insulating layer is polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), poly carbonate (PC), polyperfluoroethylene propylene (PEP), or polyvinyl fluoride (PVF).

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein a material of the insulating layer is polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising pressing the carbon nanotube array such that the plurality of carbon nanotubes tilt, after placing the carbon nanotube array into the polymer solution and before curing the polymer solution, so that an angle greater than 30 degrees and less than 60 degrees is formed between the first polymer surface and the plurality of carbon nanotubes.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the curing the polymer solution to form the polymer layer further comprises curing the polymer solution, so that a photoactive l

Assignees

• Univ Tsinghua
• Hon Hai Prec Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ning Wen
• Liu Peng
• Jiang Kai-Li
• Fan Shou-Shan

Classifications

• H10K71/00

  Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass · CPC title

• H10K30/35

  comprising inorganic nanostructures, e.g. CdSe nanoparticles · CPC title

• H10K30/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] devices · CPC title

• H10K30/353

  comprising blocking layers, e.g. exciton blocking layers · CPC title

• H10K85/10 Primary

  Organic polymers or oligomers · CPC title