This invention is directed to an aromatic material based free-standing film, a hybrid of organic crystalline materials and inorganic carbon nanomaterials, process of preparation and uses thereof. The film, which comprises a fibrous organic nanocrystals of an aromatic material, is mechanically and thermally stable. This film is optionally reinforced by hybridization with a reinforcement material, such as carbon nanotube, carbon material, a polysaccharide, a nanoclay a metal, metal alloy, or an organic polymer. The hybrid film of organic nanocrystals and carbon nanotubes (ONC/CNT) has high conductivity and high thermal stability. The films or hybrids of this invention are used as microfiltration membranes for various materials, in electrodes or perovskite solar cells.

Photovoltaic devices such as solar cells, hybrid solar cell-batteries, and other such devices may include an active layer disposed between two electrodes, the active layer having perovskite material and other material such as mesoporous material, interfacial layers, thin-coat interfacial layers, and combinations thereof. The perovskite material may be photoactive. The perovskite material may be disposed between two or more other materials in the photovoltaic device. Inclusion of these materials in various arrangements within an active layer of a photovoltaic device may improve device performance. Other materials may be included to further improve device performance, such as, for example: additional perovskites, and additional interfacial layers.

Photovoltaic devices such as solar cells, hybrid solar cell-batteries, and other such devices may include an active layer disposed between two electrodes, the active layer having perovskite material and other material such as mesoporous material, interfacial layers, thin-coat interfacial layers, and combinations thereof. The perovskite material may be photoactive. The perovskite material may be disposed between two or more other materials in the photovoltaic device. Inclusion of these materials in various arrangements within an active layer of a photovoltaic device may improve device performance. Other materials may be included to further improve device performance, such as, for example: additional perovskites, and additional interfacial layers.

This invention is directed to an aromatic material based free-standing film, a hybrid of organic crystalline materials and inorganic carbon nanomaterials, process of preparation and uses thereof. The film, which comprises a fibrous organic nanocrystals of an aromatic material, is mechanically and thermally stable. This film is optionally reinforced by hybridization with a reinforcement material, such as carbon nanotube, carbon material, a polysaccharide, a nanoclay a metal, metal alloy, or an organic polymer. The hybrid film of organic nanocrystals and carbon nanotubes (ONC/CNT) has high conductivity and high thermal stability. The films or hybrids of this invention are used as microfiltration membranes for various materials, in electrodes or perovskite solar cells.

Disclosed is a fabrication method for constructing low-cost, morphologically stable, highly ordered, and crystalized layered organic solar cells. The method implements self-assembled molecular monolayers as building blocks (a bottom up strategy) to fabricate a device. This approach enables the creation of a layered material with desired morphology in a controlled way. In such geometry, optoelectronic and transport properties can be controlled by metal atom inclusions into the molecular monolayers, which presents a range of options in creating photo-sensitive molecular building blocks to cover a wide range of the solar spectra from IR to visible to UV.

A polymer solar cell includes an anode electrode, a photoactive layer, an insulating layer, a cathode electrode stacked on each other in that order. The photoactive layer includes a polymer layer and a plurality of carbon nanotubes dispersed in the polymer layer. Each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes includes a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the first end passes through the insulating layer and is in direct contact with the cathode electrode, and the second end is embedded in the polymer layer.

A polymer solar cell includes a photoactive layer, a cathode electrode, and an anode electrode. The photoactive layer includes a polymer layer and a carbon nanotube layer. The polymer layer includes a first polymer surface and a second polymer surface opposite to the first polymer surface. A portion of the carbon nanotube layer is embedded in the polymer layer, and another portion of the carbon nanotube layer is exposed from the polymer layer. The cathode electrode is located a surface of the carbon nanotube layer away from the polymer layer. The anode electrode is located on the first polymer surface and spaced apart from the carbon nanotube layer. The entire second polymer surface is exposed.

A polymer solar cell includes an anode electrode, a photoactive layer, and a cathode electrode stacked on each other in that order. The photoactive layer includes a polymer layer and a plurality of carbon nanotubes dispersed in the polymer layer. Each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes includes a first carbon nanotube portion and a second carbon nanotube portion. The first carbon nanotube portion is embedded in the polymer layer, and the second carbon nanotube portion is exposed out of the polymer layer and directly contacts the cathode electrode.

A method for making a polymer solar cell includes the following steps: placing a portion of a carbon nanotube layer into a polymer solution, wherein the carbon nanotube layer includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes; curing the polymer solution to form a polymer layer including a first polymer surface and a second polymer surface opposite to the first polymer surface, wherein the portion of the carbon nanotube layer is embedded in the polymer layer, and another portion of the carbon nanotube layer is exposed from the polymer layer; and forming a cathode electrode on a surface of the carbon nanotube layer away from the polymer layer, and forming an anode electrode on the first polymer surface, wherein the anode electrode is spaced apart from the carbon nanotube layer.

Photovoltaic devices such as solar cells, hybrid solar cell-batteries, and other such devices may include an active layer disposed between two electrodes, the active layer having perovskite material and other material such as mesoporous material, interfacial layers, thin-coat interfacial layers, and combinations thereof. The perovskite material may be photoactive. The perovskite material may be disposed between two or more other materials in the photovoltaic device. Inclusion of these materials in various arrangements within an active layer of a photovoltaic device may improve device performance. Other materials may be included to further improve device performance, such as, for example: additional perovskites, and additional interfacial layers.