Nano-imprinted cellulose acetate structures for light management of dye-sensitized solar cells

Maryam Esmaeilzadeh; Joice Kaschuk; Hoang M Nguyen; Emilia Palo; Yazan Al Haj; Jaana Vapaavuori; Kati Miettunen

doi:10.1007/s11706-025-0725-0

Nano-imprinted cellulose acetate structures for light management of dye-sensitized solar cells

Maryam Esmaeilzadeh
, Joice Kaschuk
, Hoang M Nguyen
, Emilia Palo
, Yazan Al Haj
, Jaana Vapaavuori
, Kati Miettunen^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Not published at VTT

Aalto University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Advanced materials with surface patterning can improve light management in optoelectronic devices. In this work, we employed nanoimprinting lithography (NIL) using a hard polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mold to fabricate twodimensional periodically structured films from cellulose acetate (CA). This periodic structure was selected to scatter the light to increase its optical path. The mold features translated well to the patterned CA films, as shown by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy analyses. The films showed an average peak-to-peak distance of (750 ±40) nm and an average height of grooves of (130 ±7) nm. Optical characterization confirmed a high transparency (> 90%) in the studied 300–800 nm range. These patterned cellulose films were applied atop dye solar cells to enhance light harvesting and improve device efficiency. The application of these films increased the average short-circuit current density by 17% ±3% and efficiency by 18% ±2% of the solar devices. Our results underscore that the easy and accessible NIL method can help develop patterned cellulose films for facile light-management patterning for optoelectronic device technologies.

Original language	English
Article number	250725
Number of pages	10
Journal	Frontiers of Materials Science
Volume	19
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11706-025-0725-0
Publication status	Published - 2025
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

This work was a part of the Academy of Finland’s Flagship Program under Projects Nos. 318890 and 318891 (Competence Center for Materials Bioeconomy, FinnCERES). M.E., J.V., and K.M. acknowledge the Academy of Finland projects “SUSTAINABLE” and BioEST (Decision numbers 334818, 334819, 336577, and 336441) for funding. M.E. also thanks the Graduate School of the University of Turku. We acknowledge the use of UTU’s Materials Research Infrastructure (MARI).

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

cellulose acetate
light scattering; photovoltaic
nanoimprinting lithography

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10.1007/s11706-025-0725-0

Cite this

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title = "Nano-imprinted cellulose acetate structures for light management of dye-sensitized solar cells",

abstract = "Advanced materials with surface patterning can improve light management in optoelectronic devices. In this work, we employed nanoimprinting lithography (NIL) using a hard polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mold to fabricate twodimensional periodically structured films from cellulose acetate (CA). This periodic structure was selected to scatter the light to increase its optical path. The mold features translated well to the patterned CA films, as shown by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy analyses. The films showed an average peak-to-peak distance of (750 ±40) nm and an average height of grooves of (130 ±7) nm. Optical characterization confirmed a high transparency (> 90\%) in the studied 300–800 nm range. These patterned cellulose films were applied atop dye solar cells to enhance light harvesting and improve device efficiency. The application of these films increased the average short-circuit current density by 17\% ±3\% and efficiency by 18\% ±2\% of the solar devices. Our results underscore that the easy and accessible NIL method can help develop patterned cellulose films for facile light-management patterning for optoelectronic device technologies.",

keywords = "cellulose acetate, light scattering; photovoltaic, nanoimprinting lithography",

author = "Maryam Esmaeilzadeh and Joice Kaschuk and Nguyen, \{Hoang M\} and Emilia Palo and \{Al Haj\}, Yazan and Jaana Vapaavuori and Kati Miettunen",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1007/s11706-025-0725-0",

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AU - Esmaeilzadeh, Maryam

AU - Kaschuk, Joice

AU - Nguyen, Hoang M

AU - Palo, Emilia

AU - Al Haj, Yazan

AU - Vapaavuori, Jaana

AU - Miettunen, Kati

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Advanced materials with surface patterning can improve light management in optoelectronic devices. In this work, we employed nanoimprinting lithography (NIL) using a hard polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mold to fabricate twodimensional periodically structured films from cellulose acetate (CA). This periodic structure was selected to scatter the light to increase its optical path. The mold features translated well to the patterned CA films, as shown by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy analyses. The films showed an average peak-to-peak distance of (750 ±40) nm and an average height of grooves of (130 ±7) nm. Optical characterization confirmed a high transparency (> 90%) in the studied 300–800 nm range. These patterned cellulose films were applied atop dye solar cells to enhance light harvesting and improve device efficiency. The application of these films increased the average short-circuit current density by 17% ±3% and efficiency by 18% ±2% of the solar devices. Our results underscore that the easy and accessible NIL method can help develop patterned cellulose films for facile light-management patterning for optoelectronic device technologies.

AB - Advanced materials with surface patterning can improve light management in optoelectronic devices. In this work, we employed nanoimprinting lithography (NIL) using a hard polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mold to fabricate twodimensional periodically structured films from cellulose acetate (CA). This periodic structure was selected to scatter the light to increase its optical path. The mold features translated well to the patterned CA films, as shown by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy analyses. The films showed an average peak-to-peak distance of (750 ±40) nm and an average height of grooves of (130 ±7) nm. Optical characterization confirmed a high transparency (> 90%) in the studied 300–800 nm range. These patterned cellulose films were applied atop dye solar cells to enhance light harvesting and improve device efficiency. The application of these films increased the average short-circuit current density by 17% ±3% and efficiency by 18% ±2% of the solar devices. Our results underscore that the easy and accessible NIL method can help develop patterned cellulose films for facile light-management patterning for optoelectronic device technologies.

KW - cellulose acetate

KW - light scattering; photovoltaic

KW - nanoimprinting lithography

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JF - Frontiers of Materials Science

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Nano-imprinted cellulose acetate structures for light management of dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

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