Printable Indoor Carbon-based Lead-free Perovskite Photocapacitors

Descripción del proyecto

Arquitecturas de carbono sostenibles para sistemas fotovoltaicos de interior

La rápida expansión del internet de las cosas ha provocado una grave crisis medioambiental debido a la eliminación masiva de baterías de un solo uso. Con el apoyo de las acciones Marie Skłodowska-Curie, el proyecto PRICELESS abordará este problema mediante el desarrollo de fotocondensadores innovadores que combinan la captación de luz en interiores y el almacenamiento de energía en un único dispositivo imprimible. Estos sistemas utilizarán materiales sin plomo y componentes de carbono sostenibles para crear una alternativa ecológica a las fuentes de energía tradicionales. Al eliminar la necesidad de componentes electrónicos de potencia externos, se espera que esta tecnología permita que los sensores autónomos funcionen de forma independiente y sostenible. Otros objetivos del proyecto incluyen apoyar la transición digital proporcionando una solución escalable y sin baterías para los futuros dispositivos inteligentes, lo que supone un paso significativo hacia la reducción de los residuos electrónicos mediante una ingeniería ecológica avanzada.

Objetivo

The Internet of Things (IoT) is growing fast, projections estimating over 41 billion devices by 2030, but faces a major energy challenge. Most IoT devices still depend on disposable batteries, leading to environmental and economic concern. Replacing them often generates huge amounts of waste, an estimated 78 million batteries thrown away daily by 2025. Indoor photovoltaics (PV) offer a cleaner option, but current systems only work when light is available and need additional power management, making them less practical for autonomous IoT applications. PRICELESS (printable indoor carbon-based lead-free perovskite photocapacitors) tackles this by developing devices that both harvest and store indoor light in one printable stack. The approach combines lead-free perovskite-inspired materials (PIMs) with sustainable carbon supercapacitors (SC), avoiding external power electronics while keeping the process environmentally safe. The project has three goals: (i) making high-performance lead-free indoor PV cells using triple carbon architectures; building eco-friendly SC with bio-based binders and green solvents; and integrating them into self-rechargeable photocapacitors (PC) that can power IoT sensors without batteries. Alongside testing, the project will also set protocols for PC characterization and show a real-world battery-free IoT demonstrator. PRICELESS aims to a future less dependent on disposable batteries, supporting Europe’s digital transition and environmental goals. The research will take place at Tampere University under Prof. Paola Vivo, an expert in PIMs development and indoor PV, with industrial training at Solaronix SA for ink formulation and scalable manufacturing. This fellowship will push forward sustainable energy technologies and lay the groundwork for my independent research career in next-generation energy harvesting and storage.