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Research Article

Solution-processed copper nanowire flexible transparent electrodes with PEDOT: PSS as binder, protector and oxide-layer scavenger for polymer solar cells

Jianyu Chen1, Weixin Zhou1, Jun Chen1, Yong Fan1, Ziqiang Zhang1, Zhendong Huang1, Xiaomiao Feng1(), Baoxiu Mi1, Yanwen Ma1 (), Wei Huang1,2()
Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics & Information Displays (KLOEID) and Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM)Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications (NUPT)Nanjing210046China
Jiangsu-Singapore Joint Research Center for Organic/Bio-Electronics & Information Displays and Institute of Advanced MaterialsNanjing Tech UniversityNanjing211816China
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Abstract

The easy oxidation and surface roughness of Cu nanowire (NW) films are the main bottlenecks for their usage in transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs). Herein, we have developed a facile and scaled-up solution route to prepare Cu NW-based TCEs by embedding Cu NWs into pre-coated smooth poly(3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS) films on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates. The so obtained Cu NW-PEDOT: PSS/PET films have low surface roughness (~70 nm in height), high stability toward oxidation and good flexibility. The optimal TCEs show a typical sheet resistance of 15 Ω·sq-1 at high transparency (76% at λ = 550 nm) and have been used successfully to make polymer (poly(3-hexylthiophene): phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester) solar cells, giving an efficiency of 1.4%. The overall properties of Cu NW-PEDOT: PSS/PET films demonstrate their potential application as a replacement for indium tin oxide in flexible solar cells.

Keywords

copper nanowirespoly-(3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) filmsflexible transparent electrodessolution processingorganic photovoltaics

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Nano Research
Volume 8 Issue 3,
March 2015
Pages 1017-1025
DOI: 10.1007/s12274-014-0583-z
Cite this article:
Chen J, Zhou W, Chen J, et al. Solution-processed copper nanowire flexible transparent electrodes with PEDOT: PSS as binder, protector and oxide-layer scavenger for polymer solar cells. Nano Research, 2015, 8(3): 1017-1025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-014-0583-z
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