Heterocyclic Compound Design for Organic Solar Cell Efficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing organic solar cells face limitations in efficiency due to charge loss from electron and hole recombination, requiring additional processes that increase manufacturing costs.

Innovation Solution

A heterocyclic compound with electron donor properties and a linker for excellent planarity, maximizing exciton polarization and low band gap characteristics, is integrated into an organic solar cell structure to enhance charge transport and efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If additional processes are used to deliver electrons and holes to electrodes without loss, then charge loss due to recombination is reduced, but manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecharge lossVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs a heterocyclic compound where the electron donor and electron acceptor are covalently bonded together, creating a self-sufficient molecular structure that generates and transports charges internally without requiring additional external processes or components to prevent recombination losses

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite molecular structure by covalently bonding electron donor and electron acceptor units within a single heterocyclic compound, combining multiple functional components into one integrated material that simultaneously handles both charge generation and transport functions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Loss of energy

If inorganic solar cells are used to achieve high efficiency, then power conversion efficiency reaches approximately 24%, but economic feasibility and material availability are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower conversion efficiencyVSAvoideconomic feasibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the fundamental material parameter from inorganic semiconductors to organic heterocyclic compounds, maintaining high efficiency through molecular design while improving economic feasibility by using abundant organic materials that are easier and cheaper to process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs organic semiconductor materials that are inherently cheaper and more abundant than inorganic materials like crystalline silicon, sacrificing some theoretical maximum efficiency potential for significantly improved economic feasibility and material availability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The heterocyclic compound improves the open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, and overall efficiency of the organic solar cell, while also offering thermal stability and reduced manufacturing costs.

Implementation Method 1

An organic solar cell is a device that may directly convert solar energy into electric energy by applying a photovoltaic effect

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotovoltaic effect: Photovoltaic Effect

Data Source

PatentUS10355221B2Heterocyclic compound and organic solar cell comprising the same

Publication Date: 2019.07.16 LG CHEM LTD

AI summary

The present specification relates to a heterocyclic compound and an organic solar cell including the same.