Enhanced efficiency and stability in indoor organic photovoltaics with spray-deposited, liquid-processable MoS₂ and WS₂ hole transport layers

Abstract Liquid-phase exfoliated molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) and tungsten disulfide (WS₂) nanosheets were developed as efficient and scalable hole transport layers (HTLs) for organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices. Few-layer WS₂ and MoS₂ were successfully exfoliated via ultrasonication and incorporated...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Marinos Tountas, Katerina Anagnostou, Christos Polyzoidis, Evangelos Sotiropoulos, Emmanuel Kymakis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-05-01
Series:Discover Materials
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s43939-025-00270-2
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849309320148156416
author Marinos Tountas
Katerina Anagnostou
Christos Polyzoidis
Evangelos Sotiropoulos
Emmanuel Kymakis
author_facet Marinos Tountas
Katerina Anagnostou
Christos Polyzoidis
Evangelos Sotiropoulos
Emmanuel Kymakis
author_sort Marinos Tountas
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Liquid-phase exfoliated molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) and tungsten disulfide (WS₂) nanosheets were developed as efficient and scalable hole transport layers (HTLs) for organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices. Few-layer WS₂ and MoS₂ were successfully exfoliated via ultrasonication and incorporated into OPVs using spray-deposition. Comprehensive characterization confirmed the high purity and nanoscale integrity of the exfoliated materials. OPVs with WS₂ and MoS₂ HTLs achieved superior performance under both standard AM 1.5G and indoor (LED 1000 lx) illumination. WS₂-based devices demonstrated the highest power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 15.6% (AM 1.5G) and 31.6% (LED 1000 lx), while MoS₂-based devices reached 15.1% and 29.7%, respectively, outperforming PEDOT:PSS-based devices (14.9% and 24.9%). These improvements were linked to enhanced charge transport and reduced recombination losses enabled by the TMD-based HTLs. Stability testing showed that MoS₂-based devices retained 85% of their initial PCE after 1000 h under ambient conditions, compared to 80% for WS₂ and 55% for PEDOT:PSS. AFM analysis revealed that TMD HTLs created smoother active layer surfaces, reducing recombination sites and boosting efficiency. This work highlights the potential of WS₂ and MoS₂ as high-performance, stable, and scalable HTLs, offering significant advantages over PEDOT:PSS for both outdoor and indoor OPV applications.
format Article
id doaj-art-2bcdc7cdbb6c4dc5b8cadf109e73d7ca
institution Kabale University
issn 2730-7727
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Springer
record_format Article
series Discover Materials
spelling doaj-art-2bcdc7cdbb6c4dc5b8cadf109e73d7ca2025-08-20T03:54:11ZengSpringerDiscover Materials2730-77272025-05-015111510.1007/s43939-025-00270-2Enhanced efficiency and stability in indoor organic photovoltaics with spray-deposited, liquid-processable MoS₂ and WS₂ hole transport layersMarinos Tountas0Katerina Anagnostou1Christos Polyzoidis2Evangelos Sotiropoulos3Emmanuel Kymakis4Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU)Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU)Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU)Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU)Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU)Abstract Liquid-phase exfoliated molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) and tungsten disulfide (WS₂) nanosheets were developed as efficient and scalable hole transport layers (HTLs) for organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices. Few-layer WS₂ and MoS₂ were successfully exfoliated via ultrasonication and incorporated into OPVs using spray-deposition. Comprehensive characterization confirmed the high purity and nanoscale integrity of the exfoliated materials. OPVs with WS₂ and MoS₂ HTLs achieved superior performance under both standard AM 1.5G and indoor (LED 1000 lx) illumination. WS₂-based devices demonstrated the highest power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 15.6% (AM 1.5G) and 31.6% (LED 1000 lx), while MoS₂-based devices reached 15.1% and 29.7%, respectively, outperforming PEDOT:PSS-based devices (14.9% and 24.9%). These improvements were linked to enhanced charge transport and reduced recombination losses enabled by the TMD-based HTLs. Stability testing showed that MoS₂-based devices retained 85% of their initial PCE after 1000 h under ambient conditions, compared to 80% for WS₂ and 55% for PEDOT:PSS. AFM analysis revealed that TMD HTLs created smoother active layer surfaces, reducing recombination sites and boosting efficiency. This work highlights the potential of WS₂ and MoS₂ as high-performance, stable, and scalable HTLs, offering significant advantages over PEDOT:PSS for both outdoor and indoor OPV applications.https://doi.org/10.1007/s43939-025-00270-2Organic solar cellsIndoor organic photovoltaicsTransition metal dichalcogenides
spellingShingle Marinos Tountas
Katerina Anagnostou
Christos Polyzoidis
Evangelos Sotiropoulos
Emmanuel Kymakis
Enhanced efficiency and stability in indoor organic photovoltaics with spray-deposited, liquid-processable MoS₂ and WS₂ hole transport layers
Discover Materials
Organic solar cells
Indoor organic photovoltaics
Transition metal dichalcogenides
title Enhanced efficiency and stability in indoor organic photovoltaics with spray-deposited, liquid-processable MoS₂ and WS₂ hole transport layers
title_full Enhanced efficiency and stability in indoor organic photovoltaics with spray-deposited, liquid-processable MoS₂ and WS₂ hole transport layers
title_fullStr Enhanced efficiency and stability in indoor organic photovoltaics with spray-deposited, liquid-processable MoS₂ and WS₂ hole transport layers
title_full_unstemmed Enhanced efficiency and stability in indoor organic photovoltaics with spray-deposited, liquid-processable MoS₂ and WS₂ hole transport layers
title_short Enhanced efficiency and stability in indoor organic photovoltaics with spray-deposited, liquid-processable MoS₂ and WS₂ hole transport layers
title_sort enhanced efficiency and stability in indoor organic photovoltaics with spray deposited liquid processable mos₂ and ws₂ hole transport layers
topic Organic solar cells
Indoor organic photovoltaics
Transition metal dichalcogenides
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s43939-025-00270-2
work_keys_str_mv AT marinostountas enhancedefficiencyandstabilityinindoororganicphotovoltaicswithspraydepositedliquidprocessablemos2andws2holetransportlayers
AT katerinaanagnostou enhancedefficiencyandstabilityinindoororganicphotovoltaicswithspraydepositedliquidprocessablemos2andws2holetransportlayers
AT christospolyzoidis enhancedefficiencyandstabilityinindoororganicphotovoltaicswithspraydepositedliquidprocessablemos2andws2holetransportlayers
AT evangelossotiropoulos enhancedefficiencyandstabilityinindoororganicphotovoltaicswithspraydepositedliquidprocessablemos2andws2holetransportlayers
AT emmanuelkymakis enhancedefficiencyandstabilityinindoororganicphotovoltaicswithspraydepositedliquidprocessablemos2andws2holetransportlayers