Allen Research Group at Millersville University

Covalent Organic Frameworks

The goal of this group is the synthesis of unique COF and application of these COF to solar cells. Solar cells are the pathway to the future of renewable, green energy; organic materials are the ideal route to solar cells because organic materials are cheaper than current silicon-based technology, they are lighter and easier to process than current silicon-based technology, and their properties are readily tunable by modifying the organic material with different atoms.

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Interestingly, COFs are highly crystalline (more ordered) while most polymers and small molecules currently used in solar cells are very amorphous or perhaps semi-crystalline (less ordered). We suspect a COF will utilize the crystallinity to improve the carrier efficiency of a solar cell!