Konarka Technologies and IPRI announce collaboration in solar cell research

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Konarka Technologies and IPRI announce collaboration in solar cell research
September 6, 2010

Konarka’s Power Plastic® - a flexible, lightweight organic solar cell.

Researchers at the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute (IPRI) Dr Attila Mozer, Dr Tracey Clarke and Professor David Officer have been awarded a new Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Grant of $320,000 over three years to work with Konarka Technologies in an effort to increase the efficiency of organic polymer solar cells.

Konarka’s plastic-based photovoltaic cells are efficient across a much broader spectrum of light than traditional solar cells, allowing them to be used effectively indoors and outdoors, and across a wide range of applications.

The aim of this research is to develop a fundamental understanding of how electrical charges are generated under solar irradiation in organic materials, which will be used to increase the efficiency of organic solar cell technology.

According to IPRI/ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science Executive Director, Professor Gordon Wallace, "this funding is critical in being able to build on our capabilities in solar cell science".

"We have invested substantially into developing state-of-the-art characterisation facilities at IPRI, and it is exciting that we are now able to collaborate with Konarka to achieve what will hopefully be continued, significant progress towards efficient polymer solar cell development," he said.

Director of Device Research at Konarka, Dr Gilles Dennler, said he was "excited to be working with a team of researchers renowned for expertise in solar cell characterisation and spectroscopy".

Dr Tracey M Clarke was also awarded an Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship (Industry) as part of this project.