Professor Bumjoon Kim's research team at the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, has achieved a breakthrough in stretchable organic solar cell technology. They utilized a newly developed polymer material exhibiting the world's highest photovoltaic conversion efficiency (19%). This remarkable polymer retains functionality even when stretched beyond 40% of its original state, resembling rubber.

The innovative conductive polymer holds high photovoltaic properties, addressing the demand for stretchable solar cells crucial for the booming market of wearable electronic devices. In contrast to conventional non-organic solar cells, organic solar cells offer lightweight and flexibility, making them ideal for integration into wearable gadgets.

Historically, developing solar cells with both high electrical performance and mechanical elasticity has been challenging. However, Professor Kim's team successfully synthesized a conductive polymer that achieved both criteria. By chemically bonding a highly stretchable polymer to an electrically conductive one, they created a novel material boasting 19% photovoltaic conversion efficiency – a world record for stretchable organic solar cells. This breakthrough polymer exhibits tenfold stretchability compared to existing devices, enabling it to be stretched up to 40% during operation.

The team's achievement, documented in the journal Joule on December 1, introduces not only the world's highest-performing stretchable organic solar cell but also a versatile polymer applicable as a base material for various electronic devices requiring malleability and elasticity. The research, with first co-authors Jin-Woo Lee and Heung-Goo Lee, involved collaboration with Professor Taek-Soo Kim from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Professor Sheng Li from the Department of CBE. Funding support for this groundbreaking work was provided by the National Research Foundation of Korea.

Based on: www.sciencedaily.com

Materials provided by The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Note: Content may be edited for style and length.