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Extending the perovskite-inspired mixed-metal chalcohalide alloy space for solar cells

Project description

Chalcohalides could improve photovoltaic power conversion efficiency

Photovoltaic technology offers a clean, safe and affordable energy source for reducing carbon emissions. However, achieving the ambitious 2050 targets set by the European Green Deal requires developing advanced materials with high power conversion efficiencies. Perovskites hold promise but face toxicity and stability issues. Mixed-metal chalcohalides (PIMMCHs) present a potential alternative with better optoelectronic properties, yet remain underexplored. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the EXT-PIMMCH project aims to expand the understanding of PIMMCH compounds. To this end, researchers will explore binary and ternary alloys using density functional theory and machine learning. Researchers will identify promising candidates for indoor and outdoor photovoltaic applications, studying defects to enhance material performance and drive commercial adoption of stable, non-toxic solar cells.

Objective

Renewable energies play a central role in the decarbonisation of the energy sector and mitigating man-made climate change. Photovoltaic (PV) technology provides a clean, safe, and affordable renewable source of energy. New photovoltaic materials with high power conversion efficiencies are needed to meet the European Green Deal's 2050 targets and to ensure the large-scale deployment of solar cells. An encouraging material class are perovskites, but as they suffer from toxicity and stability problems, this impedes their commercial viability. One promising alternative are mixed-metal chalcohalides (PIMMCHs), which have the potential to overcome these known problems with perovskites and still exhibit good optoelectronic properties, thus making them of interest for PV applications. However this promising class of materials remains widely unexplored. The aim of this project (EXT-PIMMCH) is to expand the material space of PIMMCH compounds and our understanding of this material class. I will explore I) binary and II) ternary PIMMCH alloys in order to identify promising PIMMCH alloys which are suitable for indoor and outdoor PV applications. For this purpose I will use a combination of density functional theory (DFT) and machine learning to accelerate the material exploration. Finally I will identify a few dozen promising PIMMCH alloys for indoor and/or outdoor PV applications to facilitate further experimental research. Also I will study III) the influence of defects such as vacancies, interstitials and antisites on PIMMCH materials using DFT, which can be used to determine the defect tolerance/intolerance of PIMMCH materials. A profound understanding of defects in PIMMCH materials is essential, because they could have a significant effect on the performance of PV applications. Overall EXT-PIMMCH will facilitate the development of efficient, stable and non-toxic PSCs, thus accelerating large-scale commercial adoption of PSCs.

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Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01

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Coordinator

AALTO KORKEAKOULUSAATIO SR
Net EU contribution
€ 199 694,40
Address
OTAKAARI 1
02150 Espoo
Finland
Region
Manner-Suomi Helsinki-Uusimaa Helsinki-Uusimaa
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost
No data