Development Of More Efficient, Economical Solar Cell Based On Graphene And Perovskite

The Group of Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Devices (DFO) at the Universitat Jaume I in Castella, led by the professor of Applied Physics Juan Bisquert, together with researchers from the University of Oxford, have created and characterized a photovoltaic device based on a combination of titanium oxide and graphene as charge collector, and perovskite as sunlight absorber. The device is manufactured at low temperatures and has a high efficiency.

The results of this study were recently published in Nano Letters. The article is the result of the research work carried out the last year by the Group of Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Devices on the topic of photovoltaic solar cells based on solid pigments with perovskite structure.

This scientific work has combined new and promising materials based on perovskite structure, which absorb sunlight very effectively, with graphene, a material of great interest today for its properties, versatility and low cost. Graphene is a material consisting of carbon monolayers. Its use has generated high expectations in new advanced technologies, such as high-performance lithium batteries, electronics, video screens and technological applications.

The paper presents a record of efficiency of a solar cell with graphene of 15.6%. This efficiency exceeds that obtained by combining graphene with silicon, which is the photovoltaic material par excellence. This development is a new milestone for the progress of perovskite solar cells.

Researchers Eva Barea, Ivain Mora and Juan Bisquert have explained that the new device consists of several layers processed at temperatures below 150-C. They have also highlighted the importance of this study for the field of photovoltaic energy because they have obtained a high degree of efficiency. Besides, the device is manufactured at low temperatures, thus facilitating its large-scale manufacturing in industry. In turn, this fact means lower production costs and the possibility of using it in devices based on flexible plastics.

Juan Bisquert is full Professor of Applied Physics at Universitat Jaume I de Castella, where he leads the Group of Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Devices. He has published more than 270 papers in research journals. Current research activity is focused on nanoscale devices for production and storage of clean energies, in particular dye-sensitized solar cells, organic solar cells, quantum dot solar cells, and solar fuels.

Source: The above story is based on materials provided by Asociacian RUVID and as compiled and published by the Science Daily

Graphene is a 2-dimensional, crystaline allotrope of carbon. In graphene, carbon atoms are densely packed in a regular sp2-bonded atomic-scale chicken wire (hexagonal) pattern. Graphene can be described as a one-atom thick layer of graphite. It is the basic structural element of other allotropes, including graphite, charcoal, carbon nanotubes and fullerenes. It can also be considered as an indefinitely large aromatic molecule, the limiting case of the family of flat polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Perovskite is a calcium titanium oxide mineral species composed of calcium titanate, with the chemical formula CaTiO3. The mineral was discovered in the Ural Mountains of Russia by Gustav Rose in 1839 and is named after Russian mineralogist Lev Perovski (1792 -1856) .

Source: GoArticles by Author Scott Jones .

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