Organic photovoltaic cells
View Patent ↗The present invention pertains to organic infrared absorbing layers comprising an organic radical cation compound that absorbs in an infrared region and produces an electron transfer reaction that results in a flow of electrons. Preferably, the organic radical cation compound is a salt of an aminium radical cation. Provided are photovoltaic cells comprising such light-sensitive organic infrared absorbing layers.
1. A photovoltaic cell comprising an infrared absorbing layer, wherein said infrared absorbing layer comprises a non-polymeric organic radical cation compound that absorbs in an infrared region and produces an electron transfer reaction that results in a flow of electrons, and wherein said radical cation compound is a salt of a tetrakis(phenyl)-1,4-benzenediamine radical cation.
2. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein said electron transfer reaction is an one-electron oxidation of said radical cation compound.
3. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein said infrared region is from 800 nm to 2000 nm.
4. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein said electron transfer reaction is reversible.
5. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein said radical cation compound is electrically conductive.
6. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein said photovoltaic cell further comprises a layer of an inorganic photovoltaic material.
7. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein said radical cation compound is complexed to an inorganic oxide layer.
8. The photovoltaic cell of claim 7 , wherein said radical cation compound is complexed to a first anionic group of an anionic compound, and wherein said anionic compound is complexed by a second anionic group of said anionic compound to said inorganic oxide layer.
9. The photovoltaic cell of claim 7 , wherein said electron transfer reaction is an one-electron oxidation of said radical cation compound.
10. The photovoltaic cell of claim 7 , wherein said electron transfer reaction is reversible.
11. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein said radical cation compound is complexed to a titanium oxide layer.
12. The photovoltaic cell of claim 11 , wherein said radical cation compound is complexed to a first anionic group of an anionic compound, and wherein said anionic compound is complexed by a second anionic group of said anionic compound to said titanium oxide layer.
13. The photovoltaic cell of claim 11 , wherein said electron transfer reaction is an one-electron oxidation of said radical cation compound.
14. A photovoltaic cell that converts sunlight of wavelengths above 800 nm to electricity, wherein said photovoltaic cell comprises an aminium radical cation compound as a photon-induced electron donor, and wherein said radical cation compound is selected from the group consisting of a salt of a tetrakis(phenyl)-1,4-benzenediamine radical cation and a salt of a tris(phenyl)-aminium radical cation.