TRANSITION METAL CARBIDES (MXenes) FOR EFFICIENT NiO-BASED INVERTED PEROVSKITE SOLAR CELLS

ABSTRACT

In this work we demonstrate the beneficial role of MXene doping for both perovskite absorber and electron transporting layer in NiO-based inverted perovskite solar cells. The addition of MXenes permits on one side to easy tune the energy level alignment at perovskite/charge transporting layer interfaces, and on the other side to passivate traps states within the cell structure, which in turn improves charge extraction and collection at the electrodes. The MXene-based engineered cells showed superior performance, with power conversion efficiency exceeding 19% and improved stabilized power output with respect to reference devices. Due to the possibility to finely tune the MXene work function during their chemical synthesis and to their capability in modifying the optoelectronic properties of PSC layers when used as dopant, the proposed approach opens countless ways for engineering inverted PSC structure, strongly promising in term of long-term stability and future scalability on large area devices.

Authors:

D. Saranin, S. Pescetelli, A. Pazniak, D. Rossi, A. Liedl, A. Yakusheva, L. Luchnikov, D. Podgorny, P. Gostischev, S. Didenko, A. Tameev, D. Lizzit, M. Angelucci, R. Cimino, R. Larciprete, A. Agresti, A. Di Carlo

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoen.2021.105771

Nano Energy
Volume 82, April 2021, 105771

ENHANCED THERMOELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF POLY(3-HEXYLTHIOPHENE) THROUGH THE INCORPORATION OF ALIGNED CARBON NANOTUBE FOREST AND CHEMICAL TREATMENTS

ABSTRACT

Carbon nanotube/polymer composites have recently received considerable attention for thermoelectric (TE) applications. The TE power factor can be significantly improved by forming composites with carbon nanotubes. However, the formation of a uniform and well-ordered nanocomposite film is still challenging because of the creation of agglomerates and the uneven distribution of nanotubes. Here, we developed a facile, efficient, and easy-processable route to produce uniform and aligned nanocomposite films of P3HT and carbon nanotube forest (CNTF). The electrical conductivity of a pristine P3HT film was improved from ∼10–7 to 160 S/cm thanks to the presence of CNTF. Also, a further boost in TE performance was achieved using two additives, lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (LiTFSI) and tert-butylpyridine. By adding the additives to P3HT, the degree of interchain order increased, which facilitated the charge transport through the composite. Under the optimal conditions, the incorporation of CNTF and additives led to values of the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and power factor up to rising 92 μV/K, 130 S/cm, and 110 μW/m K2, respectively, at a temperature of 344.15 K. The excellent TE performance of the hybrid films originates from the dramatically increased electrical conductivity and the improved Seebeck coefficient by CNTF and additives, respectively.

Authors:

Saeed Mardi, Khabib Yusupov, Patricia M. Martinez, Anvar Zakhidov, Alberto Vomiero, Andrea Reale

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.0c02663

ACS Omega 2021, 6, 2, 1073–1082

Publication Date: January 7, 2021

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.0c02663

BEYOND 17% STABLE PEROVSKITE SOLAR MODULE VIA POLARON ARRANGEMENT OF TUNED POLYMERIC HOLE TRANSPORT LAYER

ABSTRACT

Operational stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is rapidly becoming one of the pressing bottlenecks for their upscaling and integration of such promising photovoltaic technology. Instability of the hole transport layer (HTL) has been considered as one of the potential origins of short life-time of the PSCs. In this work, by varying the molecular weight (MW) of doped poly(triarylamine)(PTAA) HTL, we improved by one order of magnitude the charge mobility inside the HTL and the charge transfer at the perovskite/HTL interface. We demonstrate that this occurs via the enhancement of polaron delocalization on the polymeric chains through the combined effect of doping strategy and MW tuning. By using high MW PTAA doped combining three different dopant, we demonstrate stable PSCs with typical power conversion efficiencies above 20%, retain more than 90% of the initial efficiency after 1080 h thermal stress at 85 °C and 87% of initial efficiency after 160 h exposure against 1 sun light soaking. By using this doping-MW strategy, we realized perovskite solar modules with an efficiency of 17% on an active area of 43 cm2, keeping above 90% of the initial efficiency after 800 h thermal stress at 85 °C. These results, obtained in ambient conditions, pave the way toward the industrialization of PSC-based photovoltaic technology.

Authors:

Narges Yaghoobi Nia, Mahmoud Zendehdel, Mojtaba Abdi-Jalebi, Luigi Angelo Castriotta, Felix U. Kosasih, Enrico Lamanna, Mohammad Mahdi Abolhasani, Zhaoxiang Zheng, Zahra Andaji-Garmaroudi, Kamal Asadi, Giorgio Divitini, Caterina Ducati, Richard H. Friend and Aldo Di Carlo

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.105685

Nano Energy, Volume 82
In progress (April 2021)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2211285520312581

GRAPHENE-BASED INTERCONNECTS FOR STABLE DYE-SENSITIZED SOLAR MODULES

ABSTRACT

We present Z-Type Dye Sensitized Solar Modules (DSSMs) with screen printed graphene-based vertical interconnects. This prevents corrosion of interconnects in contact with electrolytic species, unlike conventional Ag interconnects. By enlarging the width of single cells, or by increasing the number of cells, we get an enhancement of the aperture power conversion efficiency ∼+12% with respect to Ag-based modules, with 1000 h stability under 85 °C stress test. This paves the way to original design layouts with decreased dead area and increased generated power per aperture area.

Authors: 

Paolo Mariani, Antonio Agresti, Luigi Vesce, Sara Pescetelli, Alessandro Lorenzo Palma, Flavia Tomarchio, Panagiotis Karagiannidis, Andrea C. Ferrari and Aldo Di Carlo

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.0c01960

ACS Publications

Publication Date: December 31, 2020

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsaem.0c01960

ENHANCED THERMOELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF POLY(3-HEXYLTHIOPHENE) THROUGH THE INCORPORATION OF ALIGNED CARBON NANOTUBE FOREST AND CHEMICAL

ABSTRACT

Carbon nanotube/polymer composites have recently received considerable attention for thermoelectric (TE) applications. The TE power factor can be significantly improved by forming composites with carbon nanotubes. However, the formation of a uniform and well-ordered nanocomposite film is still challenging because of the creation of agglomerates and the uneven distribution of nanotubes. Here, we developed a facile, efficient, and easy-processable route to produce uniform and aligned nanocomposite films of P3HT and carbon nanotube forest (CNTF). The electrical conductivity of a pristine P3HT film was improved from ∼10–7 to 160 S/cm thanks to the presence of CNTF. Also, a further boost in TE performance was achieved using two additives, lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (LiTFSI) and tert-butylpyridine. By adding the additives to P3HT, the degree of interchain order increased, which facilitated the charge transport through the composite. Under the optimal conditions, the incorporation of CNTF and additives led to values of the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and power factor up to rising 92 μV/K, 130 S/cm, and 110 μW/m K2, respectively, at a temperature of 344.15 K. The excellent TE performance of the hybrid films originates from the dramatically increased electrical conductivity and the improved Seebeck coefficient by CNTF and additives, respectively.

Authors:

Saeed Mardi, Khabib Yusupov, Patricia M. Martinez, Anvar Zakhidov, Alberto Vomiero and Andrea Reale

Publication Date: January 7, 2021

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.0c02663

ACS Publications

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.0c02663

HYBRID AND ORGANIC PHOTOVOLTAICS FOR GREENHOUSE APPLICATIONS

ABSTRACT

Reducing the energy demand and dependency on fossil fuels is crucial for improving the sustainability of greenhouses, which are the most energy intensive systems in the agricultural sector. Renewable technologies represent a key option to meet the greenhouse energy demands. Agrivoltaics has recently emerged as a strategy to combine farming activity and power generation through photovoltaics (PV). However, PV systems retrofitting needs to consider the interactions with the existing greenhouse structure, as well as the energy requirements of the equipment for climate control. The influences of PV shading on agronomic parameters have also to be carefully considered. Firstly, this review examines the response of plants to the light and the fundamental aspects of greenhouse facilities. Then, the state-of-the-art of PV systems applied to greenhouses is thoroughly analysed. Simulation studies and experimental works are examined to highlight the effects of PV technologies and module arrangements on energy production and plant growth. Particular attention is devoted to new PV technologies, i.e. organic, dye-sensitized and perovskite solar cells, because of their semi-transparency and flexibility, allowing the easy integration of PV modules into existing or newly conceived greenhouse structures.
The review has highlighted that the new PV technologies have an enormous potential due to the possibility of tuning their spectral features according to the characteristics of plants and to the capability of optimizing the use of solar energy into high-tech greenhouses. Shading through these innovative systems has also demonstrated to create a suitable atmosphere for crop growth especially in hot and tropical regions.

Authors:

Luca La Notte, Lorena Giordano, Emanuele Calabrò, Roberto Bedini, Giuseppe Colla, Giovanni Puglisi, Andrea Reale

Publication date: 25 September 2020

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.115582

Science Direct

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030626192031093X?fbclid=IwAR226lRUMI4YIGBXIPEs6qjv89uNSvsqlMSBWwHylyIjlKe-_uPEa7ucoZ8#!