University of Kansas researchers find breakthrough in organic semiconductors, boosting solar cell efficiency and reducing costs.

Researchers from the University of Kansas have discovered a counterintuitive effect in organic semiconductors that may lead to solar cell efficiencies competitive with traditional silicon solar panels. The carbon-based semiconductor, which are Earth-abundant, inexpensive, and potentially more environmentally friendly, can lower the production cost for solar panels as these materials can be coated on arbitrary surfaces using solution-based methods. These organic materials can absorb light at specific wavelengths and can be used to create transparent solar panels or panels with specific colors. However, their light-to-electricity conversion efficiency is only 12%, about half as powerful as traditional silicon. The use of non-fullerene acceptors (NFA) may help bridge this gap in efficiency. The researchers believe that the energy gain may be due to a quantum effect in electrons, where an electron can appear on multiple molecules simultaneously, leading to unexpected energy gain. They also suggest that this could be useful for photocatalysts for solar-fuel production.