In order to develop high-efficiency soft plastic solar cells that can compete with traditional silicon cells, scientists have invested in dozens of time. Currently, the research team is already trying to create new plastic materials that improve battery performance by enhancing the current in solar cells. Some research groups have redesigned flexible plastic polymers into ordered silicon-like crystals, but the current has not been enhanced. “People once thought that as long as the structure of the polymer is more like silicon, their performance will improve.†The study co-author and Alberto Salleo, associate professor of materials science and engineering at Stanford University, said, “But we found that polymers naturally cannot be beautiful and orderly. Crystals. They can only form small, disordered crystals, and these just solve our technical problems." Salleo and colleagues advised scientists not to try to simulate the rigid structure of silicon, but to learn about the disordered nature of plastics. High speed electronics In the study, the Stanford team focused on a class of organic materials called conjugated or semiconducting polymers that have the properties of plastics and the ability to absorb light and conduct electricity. Semiconductor polymers were discovered 40 years ago and have long been considered ideal materials for ultra-thin solar cells, light-emitting diodes and transistors. Unlike silicon crystals used in rooftop solar panels , semiconductor polymer structures are lightweight and can be processed at room temperature using inkjet printers and other inexpensive technologies. However, one of the main reasons why it has not been commercialized is poor performance. The electrons in a solar cell need to move rapidly in the material, while the electron mobility of the semiconducting polymer is very low. X-ray analysis To observe the disordered material at the microscopic level, the Stanford Research team conducted an X-ray analysis of the sample at the SLAC National Acceleration Laboratory. Analysis shows that the molecular structure of the semiconducting polymer resembles a distorted fingerprint. Some polymers look like amorphous pasta, while others are tiny crystals that are only a few molecules long. By analyzing the luminescence of the current as it passes through the sample, the team concluded that countless small crystals are dispersed throughout the material and joined by long polymer chains, just like beads on a necklace. The size of the crystal is the key to improving the performance of the entire material. Small crystals can move charged electrons to the next crystal quickly, so long polymer chains can carry electrons quickly through the material. This explains why they are more charge-transmissive than crystals that are not connected in size. Another disadvantage of large crystalline polymers is that their insolubility results in their inability to be produced by ink jet printers or other inexpensive processing techniques. Therefore, they finally concluded that to improve battery performance, it is not necessary to form a large crystal steel material, but to design some small-sized disordered crystal materials that are tightly connected by polymer chains. Indoor Trampoline,Bowl Trampoline,12Ft Trampoline,Mini Trampoline Jiangsu Baoxiang Sports Equipment Co., Ltd , https://www.skyboundsports.com
Recently, scientists have discovered that disordered molecular levels actually improve the performance of polymers. Now, Stanford University researchers have explained this amazing discovery. This discovery will accelerate the development of low-cost commercial plastic solar cells.