Periodic Reporting for period 5 - MOLEMAT (Molecularly Engineered Materials and process for Perovskite solar cell technology)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2023-11-01 do 2024-04-30
The societal appetite for green and clean technology, which should be innovative and cost-effective are increasing. This allowed us to investigate innovative materials, which can convert sun rays into electricity at cut rate price. MOLEMAT is a multidisciplinary project and addresses different area of expertise such as synthetic chemistry, materials science, electro-optical characterization and device fabrication. MOLEMAT contributes to the competitiveness of the European photovoltaic based industry, contributing to the tree of knowledge, designing efficient materials, creates know how and trained new generation of materials scientists.
The societal need to fulfil the energy demand of our planet is a pressing issue and considerable efforts are being made to find decarbonized process for energy conversion. The overarching aim of the project was the development of high performance materials, process identification to promote photovoltaic (PV) properties. Silicon based solar cells utilizes around 200 microns thick layer in order to effectively capture light, while perovskites are exceptionally strong light absorbers and can absorb the same amount of light with a thickness of only 0.5 microns. Thus the cost of active materials is just a couple of euros per square meter, and the PV panel will costs half as compared to the current technology, while also does not demand high capital cost due to its solution processing.
Perovskite based solar cell, as emerged as strong contender in thin film PV technology as it offers to harvest light at grid parity, currently >26% light to electricity, power conversion efficiencies (PCEs), are being measured, which has well positioned it at par with mature thin film PV technologies.[i] Further push in PCE and stability requires new approaches, to ultimately enable this technology ready for manufacturing. The main objectives achieved in this project is a) design materials by engineering at a molecular level for p-type and n-type charge collection, adding functionality to the perovskites and b) to find a process for large area deposition to promote photovoltaic properties. For perovskite formation, we made powder engineering, compositional engineering to enhance the stability and absorption onset, crystal size control (anti-solvent approach), optimized thickness, doping.
Despite commendable efforts, pure FAPI perovskite thin film is prone to critical phase-transition issues due to its thermodynamically stable non-perovskite phase (2H). We reported a rational additivization strategy to overcome this challenge with the help of multifunctional ammonium salt containing a sulfur heteroatom that shifts the thermodynamic stability from the 2H phase to an intermediate phase closer to the cubic phase, and it showed damp and water stability in pure formamidinium lead triiodide.
The societal need to fulfil the energy demand of our planet is a pressing issue and considerable efforts are being made to find decarbonized process for energy conversion. The overarching aim of the project was the development of high performance materials, process identification to promote photovoltaic (PV) properties. Silicon based solar cells utilizes around 200 microns thick layer in order to effectively capture light, while perovskites are exceptionally strong light absorbers and can absorb the same amount of light with a thickness of only 0.5 microns. Thus the cost of active materials is just a couple of euros per square meter, and the PV panel will costs half as compared to the current technology, while also does not demand high capital cost due to its solution processing.
Perovskite based solar cell, as emerged as strong contender in thin film PV technology as it offers to harvest light at grid parity, currently >26% light to electricity, power conversion efficiencies (PCEs), are being measured, which has well positioned it at par with mature thin film PV technologies.[i] Further push in PCE and stability requires new approaches, to ultimately enable this technology ready for manufacturing. The main objectives achieved in this project is a) design materials by engineering at a molecular level for p-type and n-type charge collection, adding functionality to the perovskites and b) to find a process for large area deposition to promote photovoltaic properties. For perovskite formation, we made powder engineering, compositional engineering to enhance the stability and absorption onset, crystal size control (anti-solvent approach), optimized thickness, doping.
Despite commendable efforts, pure FAPI perovskite thin film is prone to critical phase-transition issues due to its thermodynamically stable non-perovskite phase (2H). We reported a rational additivization strategy to overcome this challenge with the help of multifunctional ammonium salt containing a sulfur heteroatom that shifts the thermodynamic stability from the 2H phase to an intermediate phase closer to the cubic phase, and it showed damp and water stability in pure formamidinium lead triiodide.
Solution processed perovskite solar cells have made stunning progress in a short time frame, though they also suffer from intrinsic issue. We have discovered the use of a hydrophobic ionic liquid that can act as a ubiquitous dopant for organic semiconductors. In particularly we have employed as a dopant in hole transport materials (HTM) for perovskite solar cells fabrication. HTM such as Spiro-OMeTAD, FDT and others can be oxidize to increase the carrier concentration and thus electrical properties. This generic route can be applied to other organic semiconductors to increase the charge carrier’s density and also control the degradation of the underlying water-sensitive perovskite.
Interface engineering has become one of the most facile and effective approaches to improve solar cells performance and its durability by retarding unwanted reaction pathways and balancing the energy level. We have placed a series of 2D-TMDs and carbon nitride materials to minimize the losses and also exploited various synthesized organic salts as surface passivators. This allowed us to improve the performance and stability.
We decipher the proton diffusion rate to quantify indirect monitoring of H migration by following the N–D vibration using transmission infrared spectroscopy and made electrical characterization to deduce mechanistic inside of device. We further developed powder methodology for perovskites synthesis which can be easily scale up to kg quantity, to allow reproducibility.
Through additive engineering, we uncover a multifunctional ammonium salt with a sulfur heteroatom that shifts the thermodynamic stability from the 2H phase to an intermediate phase closer to the cubic phase, and it showed damp and water stability in pure formamidinium lead triiodide.
The development of cost-effective HTM is critical for fabricating high-performance perovskite solar cells. We have designed and developed several core group (pyridine, thiophene, carbazole, phthalocyanine, phenothiazine, etc. that are cost effective and stable. These rationally designed molecules were obtained through easy cross-coupling reactions, in minimum synthetic and purification steps. The synthesized molecules showed excellent thermal stability, and the fabricated perovskite solar with these HTMs gave on par performance as of state-of-the-art Spiro-OMeTAD. The estimated production cost of developed HTMs were found to be a fraction of that of commercially available state-of-the-art Spiro-OMeTAD. We also synthesized and implemented inorganic based HTMs (NiO) for stability purposes.
Interface engineering has become one of the most facile and effective approaches to improve solar cells performance and its durability by retarding unwanted reaction pathways and balancing the energy level. We have placed a series of 2D-TMDs and carbon nitride materials to minimize the losses and also exploited various synthesized organic salts as surface passivators. This allowed us to improve the performance and stability.
We decipher the proton diffusion rate to quantify indirect monitoring of H migration by following the N–D vibration using transmission infrared spectroscopy and made electrical characterization to deduce mechanistic inside of device. We further developed powder methodology for perovskites synthesis which can be easily scale up to kg quantity, to allow reproducibility.
Through additive engineering, we uncover a multifunctional ammonium salt with a sulfur heteroatom that shifts the thermodynamic stability from the 2H phase to an intermediate phase closer to the cubic phase, and it showed damp and water stability in pure formamidinium lead triiodide.
The development of cost-effective HTM is critical for fabricating high-performance perovskite solar cells. We have designed and developed several core group (pyridine, thiophene, carbazole, phthalocyanine, phenothiazine, etc. that are cost effective and stable. These rationally designed molecules were obtained through easy cross-coupling reactions, in minimum synthetic and purification steps. The synthesized molecules showed excellent thermal stability, and the fabricated perovskite solar with these HTMs gave on par performance as of state-of-the-art Spiro-OMeTAD. The estimated production cost of developed HTMs were found to be a fraction of that of commercially available state-of-the-art Spiro-OMeTAD. We also synthesized and implemented inorganic based HTMs (NiO) for stability purposes.
New materials synthesis and fundamental studies
We developed several charge selective materials, in particularly hole transport materials to push the performance and stability of solar cells. These developed hole transport materials, were very cost effective as compared to the state of the art materials, and noted to be more stable and cost effective.
Through additive engineering, we induced damp and water stability in pure formamidinium lead triiodide. this is first of is its type for halide perovskites. The solar cells fabricated with this multifunctional ammonium salt containing a sulfur heteroatom gave power conversion efficiencies in excess of 25% for lab scale devices.
Result 2: Identification of process for large area fabrication of PV module
The identification and validation of process will benefit advance materials based companies to improve their competitiveness. MOLEMAT results will impact PV and semiconductor industry, as this technology is based on abundant materials and utilizes minimum quantity of materials. Thin-film based third generation PV is on the beginning to make an industrial impact. The perovskites powders, synthesized were then used as precursor inks, offering advantages in device performance and enabling the use of lower purity materials without compromising efficiency. This approach aligns well with upscaling strategies for perovskite solar module fabrication. Mini-modules fabricated using blade coating processed in air at standard test condition, and we validated its suitability for scalability measuring efficiencies up to 18.5%.
We developed several charge selective materials, in particularly hole transport materials to push the performance and stability of solar cells. These developed hole transport materials, were very cost effective as compared to the state of the art materials, and noted to be more stable and cost effective.
Through additive engineering, we induced damp and water stability in pure formamidinium lead triiodide. this is first of is its type for halide perovskites. The solar cells fabricated with this multifunctional ammonium salt containing a sulfur heteroatom gave power conversion efficiencies in excess of 25% for lab scale devices.
Result 2: Identification of process for large area fabrication of PV module
The identification and validation of process will benefit advance materials based companies to improve their competitiveness. MOLEMAT results will impact PV and semiconductor industry, as this technology is based on abundant materials and utilizes minimum quantity of materials. Thin-film based third generation PV is on the beginning to make an industrial impact. The perovskites powders, synthesized were then used as precursor inks, offering advantages in device performance and enabling the use of lower purity materials without compromising efficiency. This approach aligns well with upscaling strategies for perovskite solar module fabrication. Mini-modules fabricated using blade coating processed in air at standard test condition, and we validated its suitability for scalability measuring efficiencies up to 18.5%.