Scalable Metal Oxide Nano Inks for High-Performance Organic, Perovskite, and Thin Film Photovoltaics and OLEDs
- khashayar Ghaffarzadeh
- Aug 29
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 1
#PerovskiteSolarCells #OLED #OrganicPV #PrintedElectronics #NanoInks #ElectronTransportLayer #FlexibleElectronics #Optoelectronics #RollToRoll #SmartMaterials #EnergyTech #SolarInnovation #DisplayTechnology #NextGenMaterials #SustainableElectronics
Author: Maryam Bari & Ashwani Jain PINA CREATION
Unlocking printable, low-temperature charge transport layers for next-generation optoelectronics
As next-generation optoelectronic technologies—such as Perovskite solar cells (PSCs), OLED displays, and Organic photovoltaics (OPVs)—move from lab to large-scale manufacturing, the pressure is on to find materials that are not only high-performing, but scalable, stable, and compatible with printed device architectures.
A critical bottleneck remains the Electron Transport Layer (ETL) and Hole Transport Layer (HTL). For technologies relying on delicate or flexible substrates, traditional materials such as Organic Semiconductors and traditional metal oxide inks pose serious limitations. High-temperature processing, moisture sensitivity, high cost, and limited lifetime all threaten the viability of commercial deployment.
At PINA Creation, we’ve developed a line of ready-to-use SnO₂, NiO and ZnO nano inks that overcome these barriers and unlock practical, large-area fabrication for flexible and rigid optoelectronics.
The ETL & HTL Processability
The ETL & HTL are responsible for:
Extracting electrons (ETL) and hole (HTL) from the photoactive layer
Blocking either holes or electrons to prevent recombination
Providing a stable interface with the electrode
Traditionally, organic semiconductors such as PCBM or PEDOT:PSS has been used in organic and perovskite devices due to its low-temperature processability, but it comes with drawbacks:
Short device lifetime due to degradation
Expensive material cost
Dependency on toxic organic solvents
Incompatibility with scalable coating methods
Traditional metal oxide inks such as TiO₂, while effective, requires >400°C annealing, eliminating its use in flexible substrates like PET or PEN.
Another example of the traditional materials is the solution-processed SnO₂ inks (typically from sol-gel precursors like SnCl₂) often demand complex multi-step processing, low performance, and still show limited uniformity and reproducibility when printed at scale.
PINA’s Nano Ink Advantage
To address these limitations, PINA has developed stable, printable dispersions of metal oxide nanoparticles, engineered specifically for printed electronics and scalable photovoltaic manufacturing.
PINA SnO₂, ZnO, and NiO nano inks are:
Ready-to-use ETL & HTL materials — no precursor conversion needed
Alcohol-based or water-based, non-toxic formulations
Solar Cell Efficiency Improvement: +20% increase in efficiency compared to current ETLs, as reported by PINA customers.
Compatible with perovskites, PEDOT:PSS, P3HT, and common OLED stacks
Cost-effective – up to 50% less than current alternatives
Low-temperature processed (<150°C) – enabling compatibility with plastic substrates, - lower energy consumption, and reduced manufacturing costs
Example: Cutting annealing from 450°C to 150°C reduces energy use by ~70%, saving $0.02–$0.05 per watt of solar panel manufacturing cost.
Shelf-stable – with 12+ months of shelf life, eliminating waste and supply disruptions
Eco-friendly – made with water and alcohol, improving safety and reducing compliance costs
Equipment-compatible – works with existing coating and printing lines
Impact:
Replacing current ETL/HTL materials with PINA’s inks can reduce material and processing costs by up to 30% per watt. For example: For a high-growth flexible solar manufacturer with ~$200M in annual production, this translates to $40–60M in recovered margin per year—a major competitive advantage.
In addition to water-based formulations, PINA recently launched alcohol-based SnO₂ nano inks represent a critical advancement for manufacturers working with moisture-sensitive materials such as perovskites or PEDOT:PSS. Traditional water-based inks often introduce interfacial degradation or layer instability, particularly in multi-layer printed devices. Alcohol-based inks, on the other hand, offer lower surface tension, faster drying, and greater compatibility with hydrophobic or organic layers, enabling defect-free film formation on flexible substrates. This makes them especially valuable in roll-to-roll printing environments, where consistent wetting and drying behavior is essential for yield and throughput.
Beyond SnO₂, ZnO, and NiO, PINA is expanding its material platform to include TiO₂ and ITO nano inks as transparent conductive layers — both tailored for low-temperature, printable electronics. These upcoming materials are being engineered with the same core principles: stability, scalability, and compatibility with next-generation device architectures.
Technical Highlights
Durability: PINA’s SnO₂ and ZnO films have passed IEC standard environmental stress tests:(85°C / 85% RH for 1000 hours) with no performance degradation
Energy Alignment: Suitable for both n-i-p and inverted p-i-n architectures
Film Uniformity: Smooth, dense coatings reduce recombination losses, small surface roughness <5nm
Mobility & Conductivity: Enables faster charge extraction and higher efficiency
ZnO Film coated by Slot-Die Coater
Use Cases Across Devices
Solar Cells
Stable ETL and HTL for Perovskite Solar Cells stack
Stable ETL and HTL for Indoor & Outdoor Organic Photovoltaics (OPV) modules for IoT & smart sensors
OLEDs
Printable ETL and HTL layers for flexible and transparent display structures
Compatible with hybrid organic-inorganic architectures
Printed Sensors & Thin-Film Transistors (TFTs)
High uniformity ETL or active layers for large-area printable electronics
From Lab to Pilot to Production
What sets PINA’s nano ink technology apart is its scalability. We design every formulation with the production line in mind — from the rheology and viscosity suited for precision coating, to the ink stability required for batch manufacturing, to the form factor flexibility needed for integration into existing platforms.
Conclusion
As Perovskite and OLED technologies edge closer to commercial viability, the materials used in their architecture must evolve. Tin Oxide, Zinc Oxide, and NiO Nano Inks represent a critical enabler — offering stability, scalability, and performance in one printable package.
Whether you're building the next high-efficiency solar module or pioneering flexible OLED displays, PINA’s Nano Ink platform is ready to support your roadmap.
For datasheets, compatibility trials, or free samples, visit: www.pinacreation.com or email us at info@pinacreation.com
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