ARMOR solar power films introduces true grey solar film with novel acceptor material from Nano-C
ARMOR solar power films GmbH (Kitzingen, Germany), an industrial leader in manufacturing organic photovoltaics (OPV), and Nano-C, Inc., a leading producer of patented nanostructured carbon materials, including fullerenes, fullerene derivatives, and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), have expanded the colour options for all types of product offerings including BIPV, achieving a true grey colour sought after by architects and design professionals. ARMOR solar power films plans to utilise the Nano-C fullerene derivative to expand its product portfolio to include ASCA organic photovoltaic film in true grey.
Fullerene derivatives meet the needs and requirements of organic photovoltaic (OPV) due to their unique structural properties. Nano-C’s new propriety fullerene-based electron acceptor, a key component of the active layer, is easily processible via roll-to-roll (R2R) printing and enables the manufacturing of commercial OPV modules with a competitive performance that meets the colour demands of the architectural design and building industries. Nano-C manufactures fullerene derivatives at commercial scale and a competitive cost at their large-scale manufacturing facility in Westwood, MA. Furthermore, the use of the new acceptor material has a positive effect on the performance including stability of OPV modules.
BIPV and BAPV materials transform the whole building’s envelope into solar-active surfaces, linking form to function. The OPV is customisable in overall design, including colour. By increasing the colour options of OPV films to include true grey, Armor and Nano-C aim to expand the implementation of OPV by architectural and design professionals across the globe.
“The primary major specification for many of our architectural design customers is colour,“ says Dr Sebastian Meier, director R&D of ARMOR solar power films GmbH (the German Branch of ARMOR solar power films). “We have been pleased to continue our long-standing relationship and open-innovation approach with Nano-C to push the boundaries of what OPV can achieve in both form and function. The new acceptor material developed by Nano-C allows us to meet additional colour requirements of our customers thus enabling us to expand our product offerings.“
Dr Henning Richter, VP of research and development of Nano-C, Inc., adds: “We are pleased that our long-standing efforts to develop new generations of electron acceptor materials have led to an expansion of Armor’s portfolio of OPV solutions while maintaining highest performance standards. This has been made possible by the trustful and efficient collaboration between both companies addressing materials characteristics and the resulting optimisation of processing conditions.“
Caption: ARMOR solar power films and Nano-C have unveiled a true grey solar film (photo: ARMOR)