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A review on carbon nanotube/polymer composites for organic solar cells
Author(s) -
Keru Godfrey,
Ndungu Patrick G.,
Nyamori Vincent O.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
international journal of energy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.808
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1099-114X
pISSN - 0363-907X
DOI - 10.1002/er.3194
Subject(s) - carbon nanotube , materials science , organic solar cell , polymer , conductive polymer , dopant , photovoltaics , nanotechnology , photovoltaic system , composite number , charge carrier , composite material , doping , optoelectronics , ecology , biology
SUMMARY Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have unique properties, such as their electrical conductivity, that enable them to be combined with conducting polymers to form composites for use in organic solar cells (OSCs). It is envisaged that the improved composite has a higher efficiency of green energy and will reduce the cost of these cells. The use of such alternative energy sources also drastically reduces overuse of fossil fuels and consequently limits environmental degradation. This review compares research and performance between conventional silicon solar cells and OSCs. It also discusses OSC photoexcitation and charge carrier generation with the incorporation of CNTs, physicochemical properties of the composites and other factors that affect the efficiencies of OSCs. In addition, properties of CNTs that favour their dispersion in polymer matrices as acceptors and charge carriers to the electrodes are covered. The effects of CNTs containing dopants, such as nitrogen and boron, on charge transfer are discussed. Also, the fabrication techniques of OSCs that include CNT/polymer composite processing and the methods of film deposition on the substrate are described. Finally, the case studies of OSCs containing polymers with single‐walled CNTs, double‐walled CNTs or multi‐walled CNTs are evaluated. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.