Sci-Bytes> Hot Paper in Chemistry
Week of September 18, 2011
"Upscaling of polymer solar cell fabrication using full roll-to-roll processing," by Frederik C. Krebs, Thomas Tromholt, and Mikkel Jorgensen, Nanoscale, 2(6): 873-86, 2010.
[Authors' affiliation: Technical University of Denmark, Roskilde]
Abstract: "Upscaling of the manufacture of polymer solar cells is detailed with emphasis on cost analysis and practical approach. The device modules were prepared using both slot-die coating and screen printing the active layers in the form of stripes that were serially connected. The stripe width was varied and the resultant performance analysed. Wider stripes give access to higher geometric fill factors and lower aperture loss while they also present larger sheet resistive losses. An optimum was found through preparation of serially connected stripes having widths of 9, 13 and 18 mm with nominal geometric fill factors (excluding bus bars) of 50, 67 and 75% respectively. In addition modules with lengths of 6, 10, 20, 22.5 and 25 cm were explored. The devices were prepared by full roll-to-roll solution processing in a web width of 305 mm and roll lengths of up to 200 m. The devices were encapsulated with a barrier material in a full roll-to-roll process using standard adhesives giving the devices excellent stability during storage and operation. The total area of processed polymer solar cell was around 60 m(2) per run. The solar cells were characterised using a roll-to-roll system comprising a solar simulator and an IV-curve tracer. After characterisation the solar cell modules were cut into sheets using a sheeting machine and contacted using button contacts applied by crimping. Based on this a detailed cost analysis was made showing that it is possible to prepare complete and contacted polymer solar cell modules on this scale at an area cost of 89 (sic) m(-2) and an electricity cost of 8.1 (sic) W(p)(-1). The cost analysis was separated into the manufacturing cost, materials cost and also the capital investment required for setting up a complete production plant on this scale. Even though the cost in (sic) W(p)(-1) is comparable to the cost for electricity using existing technologies the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) is expected to be significantly higher than the existing technologies due to the inferior operational lifetime. The presented devices are thus competitive for consumer electronics but ill-suited for on-grid electricity production in their current form."
This 2010 report from Nanoscale was cited 33 times in current journal articles indexed by Clarivate during May-June 2011. During that two-month period, only two other chemistry papers published in the last two years, aside from reviews, received higher numbers of citations. Prior to the most recent bimonthly count, citations to the paper have accrued as follows:
March-April 2011: 34 citations
January-February 2011: 20
November-December 2010: 18
September-October 2010: 5
Total citations to date: 110
SOURCE: Hot Papers Database (Included with a subscription to the print newsletter Science Watch®, available from the Research Services Group of Thomson Reuters. Packaged on a CD that is mailed with each Science Watch issue, the Hot Papers Database contains data on hundreds of highly cited papers published during the last two years. User interface permits searching by author, organization, journal, field, and more. Total citations, as well as citations accrued during successive bimonthly periods, can be assessed and graphed. An updated CD containing the most recent bimonthly data is mailed with every new issue of Science Watch, six times a year.
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