Organic Photovoltaic Cells for Reliable Energy Generation in Deep Space Environments.

Authors

Shuohan Cheng, Yong Cui, Yang Xiao, Zhihao Chen, Zheng Zou, Haoyu Yuan, Tao Zhang, Guanlin Wang, Wenye Xu, Ni Yang, Lijiao Ma, Shaoqing Zhang, Feng Gao, Jianhui Hou

Published in

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.). Pages e73628. Jun 19, 2026. Epub Jun 19, 2026.

Abstract

Lightweight, flexible, and capable of high specific power, organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells represent a promising solution for energy generation in deep space. However, their practical operation under such extreme conditions remains in its infancy. Here we reveal that low temperatures reshape the intrinsic energetics and charge dynamics of OPV cells. As temperature decreases, the density of states narrows and the quasi-Fermi level splitting increases, enhancing the open-circuit voltage. Yet, the reduced driving force constrains exciton dissociation and charge transport, highlighting the need for next-generation active layers with enhanced driving forces. Meanwhile, cathode interlayer materials that facilitate charge extraction through interfacial dipole effects demonstrate superior performance at cryogenic temperatures. Flexible OPV cells based on polyimide substrates exhibit remarkable mechanical resilience under such conditions. These findings provide guiding principles for the design of efficient, durable, and adaptable photovoltaic systems for future deep space exploration.

PMID:
42322056
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 20 Jun 2026.

Read full publication at:
Please sign in to see all details.

Stats

1-terrible, 9-excellent. How would you rate this publication? Sign in in to submit your rating.

Post a comment

You need to be signed in to post comments. You can sign in here.

Comments

There are no comments yet.