Interpenetrating Networks for Flexible Bulk Heterojunction Opvs

Bulk heterojunction organic photoltaic (OPV) devices can be fabricated fully though solution processing on a variety of substrates, but the active layer typically exhibits very poor flexibility and robustness in response to strains and deformation. Here, we present a general approach to fabricating flexible bulk heterojunction OPVs through the incorporation of an interpenetrating polymer network. We show that this provides P3HT/PCBM bulk heterojunction OPVs that are fully flexible and able to sustain stresses in excess of 50 %. Small molecular OPV blends are more robust, and we flexible OPV devices with power conversion efficiencies exceeding 5 % power conversion efficiencies.