Stability and Lifetime Challenges in Organic Photovoltaics: Strategies for Improvement

Abstract

Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) have emerged as a promising technology in solar energy conversion, known for their lightweight, flexibility, and potential for cost-effective production. Despite their advantages, OPVs face significant challenges in stability and lifetime, hindering their commercial viability. Recent advancements in materials, encapsulation techniques, and interface engineering have shown considerable promise in enhancing OPV performance. This paper presents a comprehensive review of these innovations, highlighting the use of non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) and optimized polymer donors that have achieved power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) exceeding 18%. Additionally, the role of advanced encapsulation materials has been discussed, revealing that encapsulated OPVs can reduce degradation rates by up to 50% compared to unencapsulated devices. Furthermore, charge transport optimization strategies demonstrate the potential for increased electron mobility, leading to a 15% improvement in PCE. Overall, this study synthesizes existing research, elucidating pathways for overcoming stability challenges and promoting the long-term deployment of OPVs in the renewable energy landscape.