Recently, Associate Prof. Zhang Guangye from College of New Materials and New Energies at Shenzhen Technology University (SZTU) and Prof. Yan He from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology published a review article titled “Advantages, challenges and molecular design of different material types used in organic solar cells” in Nature Reviews Materials (IF: 83.5), an international top review journal. Prof. Zhang Guangye is the co-first author and the corresponding author, and SZTU the first affiliation.

The types of organic solar cells (OSCs) [Photo/College of New Materials and New Energies]

The performance of organic solar cells (OSCs) has significantly improved over the past decade due to the development of various high-performance organic electron-acceptor and electron-donor materials. These materials include polymers, small molecules and fullerenes, which are utilized in the photoactive layer. Depending on the combination of donor and acceptor materials, OSCs can be categorized into several types: polymer-fullerene, polymer-small molecule, all-polymer and all-small molecule, as well as multicomponent OSCs in which the photoactive layer comprises three or more photoactive components. Based on the material design strategy of each type of OSC, this Review explains the relationship between “structure-performance-large-area preparation” from the molecular structure level. It provides an overview of the historical development of the different material types used in the photoactive layer of solution-processed OSCs and compares their advantages and limitations. Effective molecular design strategies for each type of OSC are discussed and promising research directions highlighted, particularly those relevant to facilitating the industrial manufacturing of OSCs. This Review points out that the cooperation between laboratories and industries in OSC field needs to be strengthened, and puts forward a constructive view on the integration of industry, academia and research. The full text of the article can be found at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41578-023-00618-1. 

Since 2021, Associate Prof. Zhang Guangye and his research team have made a series of innovative research achievements in the field of all-polymer organic solar cells, which have received extensive attention from the academic community.

Drafted by Christine（黄昭萱）/ International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office

Revised by International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office

Edited by International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office