Researchers develop new solar cell production technology with rum

By Park Sae-jin Posted : December 26, 2018, 16:57 Updated : December 26, 2018, 16:57

[Courtesy of the National Research Foundation of Korea]


SEOUL -- South Korean researchers found a new eco-friendly method to produce polymer electronic devices for high-performance organic solar cells by using rum sold at an ordinary liquor store.

Polymer electronic devices are used in various areas because of their flexible and light characteristics. They are also widely used in the production of solar cells and transistors. Many scientists are trying to find eco-friendly methods as fabrication requires poisonous solvents.

The National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) said in a statement Wednesday that researchers from the state-run Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) and Korea University have discovered a new fabrication method for polymer electronic devices with water-ethanol co-solvents. The foundation said the new process can be used in the production of air-stable organic field-effect transistors and polymer solar cells.

The project began from the idea of using ethanol as processing solvent to create an organic polymer electronic device. During their research, the scientists unexpectedly found that a test fabrication process using water-ethanol solvent made with water and rum worked well.

Researchers said the final product showed the photoelectric conversion efficiency of about two percent, which is the highest among solar cells created with water-ethanol solvents.

"We have gained significant achievements in the development of sustainable, human and eco-friendly fabrication process technology," KAIST researcher Kim Bom-joon was quoted as saying. He said the new method could change the paradigm of organic electronic device fabrication.
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