Stability and Degradation of Polymer Solar cells

The current state-of-the-art allows for roll-to-roll manufacture of polymer solar cells in high volume with stability and efficiency sufficient to grant success in low-energy applications. However, further improvement is needed for the successful application of the devices in real life applications. This is obtained by detailed knowledge of the degradation mechanisms. Methods to compare and standardize device stability are urgently needed. Methodologies to study failure mechanism that are based on physical processes (e.g. morphological changes) are well-established. However, methodologies to study chemical degradation mechanisms are currently scarce. An overview of known degradation mechanisms will be presented and discussed in relation to state-of-the-art methodologies to study failure mechanisms with focus on chemical degradation.