Flexible, Large-Area Organic Solar Cells With Improved Performance Through Incorporation of CoFe2O4 Nanoparticles in the Active Layer

Cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanoparticles (NPs), with an average diameter of about 4-10 nm, were produced by the proteic sol-gel method and successfully doped into the active layer of poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT):[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) organic solar cells. Pristine and CoFe2O4 NPs-doped blends of P3HT:PCBM were dispersed in a mixture of o-xylene:tetralin (1 mg/mL) based non-halogenated solvents and deposited via a semi-industrial blade coating process on flexible substrates to fabricate large area (0.55 cm2), flexible organic solar cells with inverted configur...