1
|
Kessel A, Jasieniak JJ. Semi-Opaque Perovskite Solar Cells. J Phys Chem Lett 2024; 15:9894-9904. [PMID: 39303102 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c02278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Transparent photovoltaics are garnering significant interest for power generation in applications where light transmission is required. Metal halide perovskites have emerged as one of the most lucrative material classes for such device architectures due to their exceptional optoelectronic properties, and compositional versatility enabling a wide range of transparency levels. While research has primarily focused on semitransparent solar cell architectures, their colored appearance, and efficiency limitations hinder their practical applicability. In this perspective, we look at semiopaque perovskite solar cells as an alternative technological approach that comprises partially covered surfaces to enable light transmission. Our comparative analysis reveals that such semiopaque devices have the potential for superior efficiencies while maintaining a color-neutral appearance. These benefits are met with a number of hurdles, which provide key areas for future innovation to see the realization of such devices in real world applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amit Kessel
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Jacek J Jasieniak
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wu G. Patterned Liquid Crystal Polymer Thin Films Improved Energy Conversion Efficiency at High Incident Angles for Photovoltaic Cells. Polymers (Basel) 2024; 16:1358. [PMID: 38794551 PMCID: PMC11125759 DOI: 10.3390/polym16101358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
In this report, micro-patterned silicon semiconductor photovoltaic cells have been proposed to improve the efficiency in various incident sunlight angles, using homeotropic liquid crystal polymers. The anisotropic liquid crystal precursor solution based on a reactive mesogen has good flowing characteristics. It can be evenly coated on the silicon solar cells' surface by a conventional spreading technique, such as spin coating. Once cured, the polymers exhibit asymmetric transmittance properties. The optical retardation characteristics of the coated polymer films can be eventually determined by the applicable coating and curing parameters during the processes. The birefringence of light then influences the optical path and the divergence of any encountered sunlight. This allows more photons to enter the active semiconductor layers for optical absorption, resulting in an increase in the photon-to-electron conversion, and thus improving the photovoltaic cell efficiency. This new design is straightforward and could allow various patterns to be created for scientific development. The experimental results have evidenced that the energy conversion efficiency could be improved by 2-3% for the silicon photovoltaic cells, under direct sunlight or at no inclination, when the liquid crystal polymer precursor solution is prepared at 5%. In addition, the efficiency could be much more significantly improved to 14-16% when the angle is inclined to 45°. The unique patterned liquid crystal polymer thin films provide enhanced energy conversion efficiency for silicon photovoltaic cells. The design could be further evaluated for other solar cell applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gwomei Wu
- Institute of Electro-Optical Engineering, Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Gomez-Romero P, Pokhriyal A, Rueda-García D, Bengoa LN, González-Gil RM. Hybrid Materials: A Metareview. CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS : A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 2024; 36:8-27. [PMID: 38222940 PMCID: PMC10783426 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.3c01878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
The field of hybrid materials has grown so wildly in the last 30 years that writing a comprehensive review has turned into an impossible mission. Yet, the need for a general view of the field remains, and it would be certainly useful to draw a scientific and technological map connecting the dots of the very different subfields of hybrid materials, a map which could relate the essential common characteristics of these fascinating materials while providing an overview of the very different combinations, synthetic approaches, and final applications formulated in this field, which has become a whole world. That is why we decided to write this metareview, that is, a review of reviews that could provide an eagle's eye view of a complex and varied landscape of materials which nevertheless share a common driving force: the power of hybridization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Gomez-Romero
- Novel
Energy-Oriented Materials Group at Catalan Institute of Nanoscience
and Nanotechnology (ICN2) CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anukriti Pokhriyal
- Novel
Energy-Oriented Materials Group at Catalan Institute of Nanoscience
and Nanotechnology (ICN2) CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Rueda-García
- Napptilus
Battery Labs, Tech Barcelona
01, Plaça de Pau Vila, 1, Oficina 2B, 08039 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Leandro N. Bengoa
- Novel
Energy-Oriented Materials Group at Catalan Institute of Nanoscience
and Nanotechnology (ICN2) CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosa M. González-Gil
- Novel
Energy-Oriented Materials Group at Catalan Institute of Nanoscience
and Nanotechnology (ICN2) CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Photocatalytic Properties of ZnO:Al/MAPbI3/Fe2O3 Heterostructure: First-Principles Calculations. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054856. [PMID: 36902284 PMCID: PMC10002523 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
We report on theoretical investigations of a methylammonium lead halide perovskite system loaded with iron oxide and aluminum zinc oxide (ZnO:Al/MAPbI3/Fe2O3) as a potential photocatalyst. When excited with visible light, this heterostructure is demonstrated to achieve a high hydrogen production yield via a z-scheme photocatalysis mechanism. The Fe2O3: MAPbI3 heterojunction plays the role of an electron donor, favoring the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and the ZnO:Al compound acts as a shield against ions, preventing the surface degradation of MAPbI3 during the reaction, hence improving the charge transfer in the electrolyte. Moreover, our findings indicate that the ZnO:Al/MAPbI3 heterostructure effectively enhances electrons/holes separation and reduces their recombination, which drastically improves the photocatalytic activity. Based on our calculations, our heterostructure yields a high hydrogen production rate, estimated to be 265.05 μmol/g and 362.99 μmol/g, respectively, for a neutral pH and an acidic pH of 5. These theoretical yield values are very promising and provide interesting inputs for the development of stable halide perovskites known for their superlative photocatalytic properties.
Collapse
|
5
|
Improved Power Conversion Efficiency with Tunable Electronic Structures of the Cation-Engineered [Ai]PbI3 Perovskites for Solar Cells: First-Principles Calculations. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232113556. [DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Higher power conversion efficiencies for photovoltaic devices can be achieved through simple and low production cost processing of APbI3(A=CH3NH3,CHN2H4,…) perovskites. Due to their limited long-term stability, however, there is an urgent need to find alternative structural combinations for this family of materials. In this study, we propose to investigate the prospects of cation-substitution within the A-site of the APbI3 perovskite by selecting nine substituting organic and inorganic cations to enhance the stability of the material. The tolerance and the octahedral factors are calculated and reported as two of the most critical geometrical features, in order to assess which perovskite compounds can be experimentally designed. Our results showed an improvement in the thermal stability of the organic cation substitutions in contrast to the inorganic cations, with an increase in the power conversion efficiency of the Hydroxyl-ammonium (NH3OH) substitute to η = 25.84%.
Collapse
|
6
|
Temperature Dependence of Photochemical Degradation of MAPbBr3 Perovskite. COATINGS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/coatings12081066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The experimental results of X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical absorbance, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) of the core levels and valence bands of MAPbBr3 (MA-CH3NH3+) perovskite before and after exposure to visible light for 700 h at temperatures of 10 and 60 °C are presented. It reveals that the light soaking at 60 °C induces the decomposition of MAPbBr3 perovskite accompanied with the decay of organic cation and the release of a PbBr2 phase as a degradation product whereas the photochemical degradation completely disappears while the aging temperature is decreased to 10 °C.
Collapse
|
7
|
Li XF, Cheng SQ, Zhou YQ, Ouyang WH, Li S, Liu BX, Liu JB. Insights Into to the KX (X = Cl, Br, I) Adsorption-Assisted Stabilization of CsPbI 2 Br Surface. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2202623. [PMID: 35754173 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202202623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Despite the excellent optoelectronic properties, organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs) still present significant challenges in terms of ambient stability. CsPbI2 Br, a member of all-inorganic perovskites, may respond to this challenge because of its inherent high stability against light, moisture, and heat, and therefore has gained tremendous attraction recently. However, the practical application of CsPbI2 Br is still impeded by the notorious phenomenon of photoinduced halide segregation. Herein, by applying first-principles calculations, the stability, electronic structure, defect properties, and ion-diffusion properties of the stoichiometric CsPbI2 Br (110) surface and that with the adsorption of KX (X = Cl, Br, I) are systematically investigated. It is found that the adsorbed KX can serve as an external substitute of the halogen vacancies on the surface, therefore inhibiting halogen segregation and improving the stability of the CsPbI2 Br surface. The KX can also eliminate deep-level defect states caused by antisites, thereby contributing to the promoted optoelectronic properties of CsPbI2 Br. The mechanistic understanding of surface passivation in this work can lay the foundation for the future design of CsPbI2 Br PSCs with optimized optoelectronic performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Fen Li
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials (MOE), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Song-Qi Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials (MOE), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yu-Qian Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials (MOE), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Wen-Hong Ouyang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials (MOE), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Shunning Li
- School of Advanced Materials, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Bai-Xin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials (MOE), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Jian-Bo Liu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials (MOE), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| |
Collapse
|