Liquid Crystals Supercharge Next-Gen Solar Tech
This project, ‘Probing effect of temperature and supramolecular organization on charge transport in Columnar Mesophases for Organic Electronics,’ focuses on developing high-mobility discotic liquid-crystal (DLC)–based organic semiconductors that can sustain efficient charge transport across a wide temperature range.
By examining how temperature variations and supramolecular alignment influence charge mobility, the research aims to deepen fundamental understanding of structure–property relationships in soft matter electronics. The findings will support the advancement of flexible, low-cost organic electronic devices, where stable performance under diverse conditions is critical.
The project also explores the potential of DLCs as replacements for conventional hole-transport layers in perovskite solar cells, aiming to improve device stability, simplify processing, and enable more scalable photovoltaic technologies.
Scope: Energy, Advanced materials, Flexible Electronics
Funding Agency: SERB-DST: Core Research Grant (CRG) - Engineering Sciences
Amount: INR 25,68,500
Duration: 3 Years
Principal investigator: Dr. Upendra Pandey