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9:16 a.m., Sept. 28, 2010----Michael Mackay, Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Delaware, is co-author of a paper demonstrating a new method for characterizing polymer-based solar cells.
The paper, “Phase-Sensitive Neutron Reflectometry Measurements Applied in the Study of Photovoltaic Films,” appeared in the Aug. 21 issue of The Journal of Chemical Physics. Co-authors include Jon Kiel, Mackay's doctoral student at Michigan State University, and three researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Mackay explains that polymer-based solar cells have the potential to supplement ever-increasing demands for energy due to their low cost and ease of manufacture. However, commercialization will not be feasible until device performance reaches an efficiency level approaching that of inorganic cells, such as silicon solar cells. Achieving this level of performance requires precise control of morphology or structure at the nanoscale, he says.
According to the researchers, the use of phase-sensitive neutron reflectometry (PSNR) may be the key to achieving this control, as the technique exploits the large neutron scattering contrast between the materials comprising the device. Other characterization techniques are not sensitive enough. Experiments conducted by the research team confirmed that components within the device are not distributed in an ideal way, paving the way for better control of this distribution in the future.
The material used in the study was a mixture of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). The P3HT/PCBM samples for the study were prepared in Mackay's lab at UD and transported to NIST's Center for Neutron Scattering in Gaithersburg, Md., where the PSNR measurements were performed. NIST scientists on the project were Brian Kirby, Brian Maranville, and Charles Majkrzak.
The Journal of Chemical Physics publishes reports of significant research in methods and applications of chemical physics, including spectroscopy, kinetics, statistical mechanics, quantum mechanics, polymers, materials, surfaces and interfaces, information theory, and biological systems. According to Thomson Reuters, JCP was the most highly cited journal in atomic, molecular, and chemical physics in 2009.
Mackay, who earned a bachelor's degree with distinction in chemical engineering at UD in 1979, joined the UD faculty in 2008. He was previously a member of the faculty at Michigan State University. His current research focuses on polymer-based solar cells, with an emphasis on controlling and measuring their structure and nanoscale phenomena within polymer nanocomposites to create the next generation of materials. His work has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, NIST, several national laboratories, and industry.