SusChEM: Collaborative Research: Hybrid perovskite inspired pathways towards green and stable ionic PV absorbers

PI: Shengbai Zhang / Hao Zeng Proposal Number: 1510948 / 1510121 The sun represents the most abundant potential source of sustainable energy on earth. Solar cells for producing electricity require materials that absorb the sun's energy and convert its photons to electrons, a process called photovoltaics. Recently, materials based on inorganic-organic halide perovskite materials have achieved promising solar energy power conversion efficiency, and can be made from earth-abundant elements using low-cost, solution based processing methods. However, these perovskite materials contain lead, which is toxic, and degrade in the presence of moisture, which prevents their commercial use. To address these limitations, this project will develop and study the performance of a new class of perovskite materials which do not contain lead and are stable in moisture. This project will also provide educational and outreach opportunities, including the development of a student-designed nanotechnology display as part of the permanent Physics and Art exhibit at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, as well as development of various hands-on solar cell kits for K-12 students in the Buffalo area public schools. Photovoltaic (PV) materials based on inorganic-organic halide perovskites have achieved power conversion efficiencies of nearly 18%, which are now comparable to CIGS and CdTe thing film solar PV materials. However, current inorganic-organic halide perovskite materials contain lead and are unstable in moisture. The overall goal of this research is to design and synthesize new ionic photovoltaic absorber materials based on non-halide perovskites that eliminate the use of lead and are stable in moisture. The proposed research has two objectives. The first objective is to understand the physics and chemistry of organic-inorganic halide perovskite materials that determine their power conversion efficiency and photo-induced degradation in water. Based on the fundamental understanding obtained under the first objective, the second objective is to design, synthesize, and characterize the photophysics of new ionic PV absorbers based on the non-halide chalcogenide perovskites which do not contain lead, as well as molecularly doped CuxS compounds proposed by a materials-by-design approach.