SupraL_SAS · Supramolecular Active Layer, Self-Assembly on Surface

The objective of this proposal is to improve the efficiencies of organic solar cells using bio-inspired architectures. The high efficiencies of natural photosystems arise from their well-defined multichromophoric structures, which allow energy transfer processes to operate over long distances from the light-harvesting chromophores to the reaction centre. Similarly, highly organised redox pathways allow the electrons and holes generated by the photosynthetic process to travel through antiparallel pathways so suppressing charge recombination. Here, we propose the preparation of organized multichromophoric artificial photosystems to act as n/p-heterojunctions in photovoltaic devices. These assemblies will be prepared by self-organizing surface-initiated polymerization (SOSIP) of phthalocyanine and perylenediimide-based dyes, forming separate pathways for hole and electron transport. These architectures will be characterized using a number of specialist techniques to establish structure-property relationships, and ultimately optimize the systems for practical applications.