Researchers in Prof. Peter Peumans’ laboratory have developed a low-cost flexible composite material that could be used as an alternative to indium-tin oxide (ITO) for transparent conducting films in solar cells displays and other optoelectronic devices. This material is fabricated with a solution-based process to create a nanowire mesh embedded in an organic polymer. The film has transparency and conductivity comparable to ITO but can be produced at much lower cost and has much higher yield strain to enable flexible thin-film applications. This material could enable organic photovoltaic cells to become commercially viable as well as flexible displays to become a reality. Stage of Research: The inventors have developed the process fabricated film and tested it on glass and plastic photovoltaic cells. At 4.2 and 3.8% these are the highest efficiency ITO-free rigid and flexible organic solar cells reported. Ongoing Research: The inventors are investigating different polymer layers to improve performance.
1) High performance - conductivity comparable to ITO on glass and better on plastic 2) Low-cost materials and fabrication methodRobust - yield strain four times higher than ITO for flexible thin-film applications 3) Plastics-compatible - no vacuum or high temperature processing that would damage underlying substrate