High-Bandgap Hybrid Perovskites for Efficient Underwater Solar Cells
Abstract
Conventional space and terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) solar cell technologies have had limited success in underwater (UW) applications, primarily due to the lack of penetrating sunlight and the use of cells optimized for the terrestrial spectrum. In this project, we will demonstrate that hybrid organolead mix-halide perovskite (HP) with precisely tuned high-bandgap can offer efficient,stable and cost-effective power solution for autonomous unmanned sea platforms at a depth as low as 20m at a given geolocation. Moreover, low weight and mechanical flexibility of HP films will allow the design of a so-called solar-skin: thin, ultra-lightweight, conformal coating, which will effectively harvest UW sun energy for a sea platform of any shape without compromising its tactical characteristics.Texas State University research team will develop novel UW PV cell architecture based on the photo and thermally stable mixed-halide HP absorber. The group has pioneered methylammonium acetate assisted facile HP film growth and restricted volume solvent annealing processing that result in highly reproducible film growth with the direct upscaling path for an existing commercial manufacturing base. Our ab initio computational results provide physical insight on the origin of often reported light-induced phase instability of mixed HP and offer possible mitigation strategies via precise compositional engineering. We will test this scientific hypothesis and study the fundamental connection between material degradation and stressing parameters, together with their mechanistic origins, for the organohalide lead hybrid perovskite films and their interfaces.Texas State University is a Hispanic Serving Institution with 38% undergraduate Hispanic and 52% total minority student enrollment. The proposed project will leverage this talent pool to increase diversity in underwater solar cell research which is critical to the defense mission of the Department of Navy.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 20, 2019
- Source ID
- N000141912576
Entities
People
- Alex Zakhidov
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Texas State University
- United States Navy