Boosting Solar Power: A Polymer's Role in Efficient Solar Cells

Organic solar cells (OSCs) have been making big strides, but they still face a major hurdle: energy loss. This loss limits how much better their performance can get. To tackle this issue, scientists have turned to a smart strategy called "ternary, " which helps fine-tune energy loss and boost efficiency. Here's where a special polymer comes in. This polymer, known as B‒N-based polymer donor, has unique properties that can stop a type of recombination that causes energy loss.Scientists used this polymer, called PBNT-BDD, and added it to a high-performing OSC called PM6:L8-BO. The result? A ternary OSC with an impressive power conversion efficiency of 18. 95%. This efficiency jump was due to better open-circuit voltage and short-circuit density, and a reduction in energy loss compared to regular binary OSCs. This is a record-breaking achievement for OSCs using B‒N materials. By broadening the choice of guest materials, this work opens up new paths to creating high-performance OSCs. It's like finding a new recipe that makes your food taste even better!