Trends and Advances in Thin Films and Coatings for High-Efficiency Organic Solar Cells

A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412). This special issue belongs to the section "Thin Films".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 3225

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
Interests: conjugated polymer; organic electronics; organic photovoltaics; small-angle X-ray scattering; polymeric thin film; morphology characterization; wide-angle X-ray scattering; light scattering; metal–organic framework

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Guest Editor
School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
Interests: flexible electronics; neutron scattering; isotope effect

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Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Physics, and Atmospheric Sciences, Jackson State University, Jsckson, MS 39023, USA
Interests: photocatalysts; perovskite solar cells; lithium-ion batteries

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Guest Editor
School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
Interests: stretchable and self-healable semiconducting polymers and composites; backbone conformations of conjugated polymers; data-driven copolymer development

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The recent achievement of single-cell organic solar cells with a power conversion efficiency surpassing 20% marks a significant milestone in the field of organic electronics. Theoretical and experimental advancements in thin films and coatings for high-efficiency organic solar cells have garnered considerable attention due to these cells’ potential applications in various domains, including solar panels, windows, buildings, and automobiles.

Driven by the pursuit of efficiency, eco-friendliness, and cost-effectiveness, researchers are delving into optoelectronic processes, phase-separation mechanisms, and novel chemical and morphological structures. There is a pressing need to explore eco-friendly processing conditions while ensuring the integrity of morphologies under harsh environmental conditions.

The manufacture, design, and testing of high-performance nanostructured thin organic photovoltaic films present unparalleled opportunities for advancing organic photovoltaics. This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for papers covering the following themes:

  1. Theoretical and experimental research on organic thin films for photovoltaics;
  2. Recent developments in high-performance photovoltaics utilizing organic, inorganic, or hybrid materials;
  3. Organic photovoltaics with novel chemical structures, including new donor/acceptor molecules, polymers, metal–organic frameworks, etc.;
  4. Innovative processes for organic photovoltaics, such as blade coating, thermal annealing, new additives or solvents, sidechain cleavage, etc.;
  5. Development of stable performance coatings for organic photovoltaics capable of withstanding high temperatures, high stress, and extreme environmental conditions;
  6. Understanding degradation mechanisms of organic photovoltaic thin films through dedicated testing;
  7. Computer modelling and simulation to predict coating properties, performance, durability, and reliability in service environments.

We invite contributions from researchers and practitioners in these areas, sharing your insights, methodologies, and discoveries.

Acknowledgements:

Mingwan Leng (lengmw@tamu.edu)

Yifang Qi (J00928359@students.jsums.edu)

Dr. Guorong Ma
Dr. Zhiqiang Cao
Dr. Qiqi Zhang
Dr. Yunfei Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Coatings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • organic solar cells
  • perovskite solar cells
  • conjugated polymers
  • organic small molecules
  • coating and thin films
  • morphology and stability

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

23 pages, 6574 KiB  
Review
Polymer Capacitor Films with Nanoscale Coatings for Dielectric Energy Storage: A Review
by Liang Cao, Rui Xi, Chen Zhou, Gaohui He, Feng Yang, Lingna Xu and He Li
Coatings 2024, 14(9), 1193; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14091193 - 15 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2693
Abstract
Enhancing the energy storage properties of dielectric polymer capacitor films through composite materials has gained widespread recognition. Among the various strategies for improving dielectric materials, nanoscale coatings that create structurally controlled multiphase polymeric films have shown great promise. This approach has garnered considerable [...] Read more.
Enhancing the energy storage properties of dielectric polymer capacitor films through composite materials has gained widespread recognition. Among the various strategies for improving dielectric materials, nanoscale coatings that create structurally controlled multiphase polymeric films have shown great promise. This approach has garnered considerable attention in recent years due to its effectiveness. This review examines surface-coated polymer composites used for dielectric energy storage, discussing their dielectric properties, behaviors, and the underlying physical mechanisms involved in energy storage. The review thoroughly examines the fabrication methods for nanoscale coatings and the selection of coating materials. It also explores the latest advancements in the rational design and control of interfaces in organic–inorganic, organic–organic, and heterogeneous multiphase structures. Additionally, the review delves into the structure–property relationships between different interfacial phases and various interface structures, analyzing how nanoscale coatings the impact dielectric constant, breakdown strength, conduction and charge transport mechanisms, energy density and efficiency, thermal stability, and electrothermal durability of polymeric capacitor films. Moreover, the review summarizes relevant simulation methods and offers computational insights. The potential practical applications and characteristics of such nanoscale coating techniques are discussed, along with the existing challenges and practical limitations. Finally, the review concludes with a summary and outlook, highlighting potential research directions in this rapidly evolving field. Full article
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