Spray coating, Stability, and Semi-transparency in Organic Photovoltaics
| Dates: | 1 February 2023 |
|---|
| Times: | 12:00 - 13:00 |
|---|
| What is it: | Seminar |
|---|
| Organiser: | Photon Science Institute |
|---|
| Who is it for: | University staff, Current University students |
|---|
| Speaker: | Dr. Emma Spooner |
|---|
|
Join us for this PSI seminar with guest speaker Dr. Emma Spooner. Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are a type of 3rd generation, thin film solar technology. Whilst their performance lags behind that of traditional silicon solar cells, OPVs have many advantages in niche areas, such as light weight, flexibility, low cost of manufacture, and tuneable absorption. In recent years their efficiencies have sky-rocketed, exceeding 20%, meaning scaling up and stability issues are key remaining obstacles to commercialisation. Here we firstly discuss the main degradation mechanisms of OPVs. The parameters dictating phase separation, and how they can be calculated using simple UV-Vis absorption, are explained as an important method of understanding morphological instability. We then discuss scalable deposition techniques, and OPVs manufactured via fast ultrasonic spray coating are introduced. Lastly, early work on semi-transparent OPVs, a key commercial niche, is explored. An upcoming semi-transparent OPV project, in collaboration with Manchester company ContraVision, is also outlined.
Speaker
Dr. Emma Spooner
Organisation: University of Manchester
Biography: Emma Spooner has recently joined the University of Manchester working as a Knowledge Transfer Partnership Associate in the Photon Science Institute. Her project is in collaboration with Manchester based company ContraVision, and will focus on creating semi-transparent organic photovoltaics (OPVs) for use as power generating windows and infrastructure. Previous to this, Emma completed her PhD and a short postdoc at the University of Sheffield, working on Non-Fullerene Acceptors in OPVs. Her research interests lie in scaling up OPVs by focusing on their morphological stability and deposition via scalable techniques.
Travel and Contact Information
Find event
This event will take place online
