Fabrication of oxide-based flexible solar cells by electrochemical deposition in aqueous solution

• Project/Area Number: 15K05669
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Device related chemistry
• Research Institution: Osaka Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology (2017-2018); Osaka Municipal Technical Research Institute (2015-2016)
• Principal Investigator: Tsutomu Shinagawa 地方独立行政法人大阪産業技術研究所, 森之宮センター, 研究主任 (50416327)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
• Budget Amount: ¥5,070,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,170,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥2,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥600,000)
• Keywords: フレキシブル太陽電池 / 酸化亜鉛 / 亜酸化銅 / 水溶液プロセス / 酸化物太陽電池 / フレキシブル基板 / 湿式プロセス / 電気的特性 / 中間層 / 湿式製膜

Outline of Final Research Achievements

ZnO/Cu2O thin film solar cells fabricated by aqueous solution processes, involving no vacuum and no high-temperature processes have attracted increasing attention as low-cost environmental solar cells.
In this study, the introduction of buffer layer and the control of electrical properties of the oxide layer have been examined to improve the conversion efficiency. Furthermore, we have studied the fablication of flexible ZnO/Cu2O thin film solar cells that can be expected to be more versatile and lightweight. We have achieved conversion efficiencies comparable to conventional ZnO/Cu2O thin film solar cells using glass substrates.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

CO2排出削減に向けた世界的な取り組みの中で、太陽電池が果たす役割は今後さらに重要になる。太陽電池の普及には、資源が豊富な元素と低コストかつ環境負荷の小さい製造プロセスで太陽電池を作製することが必須であり、本研究はこうした要請に資するものである。世界的にみてもフレキシブルZnO/Cu2O太陽電池の作製例はほとんどなく、本研究で得られた知見は学術的にも貢献する。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Oriented Transformation from Layered Zinc Hydroxides to Nanoporous ZnO: A Comparative Study of Different Anion Types (2018)
  • Author(s): Shinagawa Tsutomu、Watanabe Mitsuru、Mori Tetsuya、Tani Jun-ichi、Chigane Masaya、Izaki Masanobu
  • Journal Title: Inorganic Chemistry Volume: 57 Issue: 21 Pages: 13137-13149
  • DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.8b01242
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] Morphology controlled oxide crystals of ZnO and Cu2O via electrochemical deposition in aqueous solutions (2017)
  • Author(s): T. Shinagawa
  • Organizer: Energy Materials Nanotechnology, The Collaborative Conference on Crystal Growth
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] Effect of oxide intermediate layers on pyramidally textured Cu2O/ZnO solar cells prepared by electrodeposition (2016)
  • Author(s): T. Shinagawa, J. Tani, M. Chigane, M. Izaki
  • Organizer: The Electrochemical Society
  • Place of Presentation: Hawaii convention center (USA)
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Morphology Controlled All-Oxide Solar Cells: Effect of Solution-Processed Buffer Layers (2015)
  • Author(s): T. Shinagawa, J. Tani, M. Chigane, M. Izaki
  • Organizer: NANOSMAT2015
  • Place of Presentation: The Manchester Conference Centre (Manchester, UK)
  • Year and Date: 2015-09-15
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Remarks]
  • URL: http://www.omtri.or.jp/research/electron/itf/