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Advanced Neutron and Synchrotron Characterization Techniques for Nanocomposite Perovskite Materials Toward Solar Cells Applications

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Book cover Advances in Nanocomposite Materials for Environmental and Energy Harvesting Applications

Part of the book series: Engineering Materials ((ENG.MAT.))

Abstract

Solar energy conversion represents one of the better options to replace carbon-based technology. Among a wide variety of available technologies, well stablished silicon solar cells entails almost 90% of the up-scale installed technology. Nevertheless, from a decade ago perovskite solar cells interrupted abruptly in the research community as an impressive material that triggers the power energy conversion from 3.9 to 20% in just five years, being currently above 25.5% and very close to silicon efficiencies. Its easy and cost-effective fabrication process as well as its tuneable opto-electronic properties make perovskite material very suitable to solar energy conversion. Although it presents an amphiphilic character and long carrier transport, usually two selective layers (hole and electron) are deposited to assist charge extraction. Therefore, the proper selection of those selective contacts contributes not only to the improvement of the final performance of the solar cells, but also to the intrinsic stability of the device. In addition, the layered structure nature of the perovskite devices requires a good connection and a perfect energy level alignment between layers. However, the lack of a deep understanding of the charge recombination process and some instability issues limit its implementation to industrial scale. This chapter gives a critical discussion about the materials and device design to improve opto-electronic properties and interfaces in different perovskites composition based solar cells. A discussion about the synthesis of perovskite solar cell devices is followed by a comprehensive dissertation on advanced neutron and synchrotron-based characterization techniques, which offer the possibility to disentangle the charge transport and degradation mechanism in perovskite solar cells.

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Abbreviations

(Spiro-OMeTAD):

2,2’,7,7’-tetrakis-(N,N-di-4-methoxyphenylamino)-9,9’spirobifluorene

(t-BP):

4-Tert-butylpiridine

(AFM):

Atomic force microscopy

(ALD):

Atomic layer deposition

(LiTFSI):

Bis-(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide lithium salt

(CMRR):

China Miyang Research Reactor

(DOS):

Density of states simulations

(DMF):

Dimethyl formamide

(DMSO):

Dimethyl sulfoxide

(DSSC):

Dye Sensitized Solar Cell

(ETM):

Electron Transport Material

(ETA):

Ethylammonium

(ESRF):

European Synchrotron Radiation Facility

(EXAFS):

Extended X-Ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

FTO:

Fluoro tin oxide

(FA+):

Formamidinium

(GISANS):

Grazing-incidence SANS

(GISAXS):

Grazing-incidence small angle X-Ray scattering

(GIWAXS):

Grazing-incidence wide-angle X-Ray scattering

(GIXRD):

Grazing-incidence X-Ray diffraction

(GUA):

Guanidinium

(HNEXAFS):

Hard near-edge X-Ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

(HXMCD):

Hard X-Ray magnetic circular dichroism

(HAXPES):

Hard X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy

(HOMO):

Highest occupied molecular orbital

(HFBS):

High-flux backscattering spectrometer

(HTM):

Hole Transport Material Impedance spectroscopy

(IPCE):

Incident Photon-to-electron Conversion Efficiency

ITO:

Indium tin oxide

(INS):

Inelastic neutron scattering

(ICP):

Intrinsic Conducting polymers

(LUMO):

Lowest unoccupied molecular orbital

(MBCP):

Mesoporous block-copolymer

(MA+):

Methylammonioum

(NSRRC):

National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center

(NEXAFS):

Near-edge X-Ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

(NR):

Neutron reflectometry

(NMR):

Nuclear magnetic resonance

(NQR):

Nuclear quadrupole resonance

(OPV):

Organic photovoltaic

(OLEDs):

Organic solar cells

(PSC):

Perovskite Solar cell

(PEA+):

Phenylethlylammonium

(PL):

Photoluminescence

(PEDOT):

Poly(3,4 ethylene dioxythiophene)

(P3HT):

Poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl)

PET:

Poly(ethylene terephthalate)

(PTAA):

Poly(triarylamine)

(PCEs):

Power Conversion Efficiencies

(PCE):

Power conversion efficiency

(QENS):

Quasi-elastic neutron scattering Raman spectroscopy

RH:

Relative humidity

(RIXS):

Resonant inelastic X-Ray scattering

(R2R):

Roll-to-roll

(SEM):

Scanning electron microscopy

(STEM):

Scanning transmission electron microscope

(SSRF):

Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility

(SANS):

Small angle neutron scattering

(SAXS):

Small angle X-Ray scattering

(SXES):

Soft X-Ray emission spectroscopy

(TPNR):

Time-of-flight polarized neutron reflectometer

(TRS):

Time-resolved spectroscopy

(FK209):

Tris[2-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-4-tert-butylpyridine]cobalt(III)tris [bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide]

(TEM):

Tunneling electron microscopy

(WAXS):

Wide-angle X-Ray scattering

(XANES):

X-Ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy

(XRD):

X-Ray diffraction

(XMCD):

X-Ray magnetic circular dichroism

(XPS):

X-Ray photoemission spectroscopy

(GBL):

γ-Butyrolactone

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  1. BCMaterials-Basque Center for Materials Applications and Nanostructures, Martina Casiano UPV/EHU Science Park, Barrio Sarriena S/N, 48940, Leioa, Spain

    Jose M. Porro, Ahmed Esmail Shalan & Manuel Salado

  2. Central Metallurgical Research and Development Institute (CMRDI), P.O. Box 87, Helwan, 11421, Cairo, Egypt

    Ahmed Esmail Shalan

  3. IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for ScienceBasque Foundation for Science, Plaza Euskadi 5, 48009, Bilbao, Spain

    Jose M. Porro

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Porro, J.M., Shalan, A.E., Salado, M. (2022). Advanced Neutron and Synchrotron Characterization Techniques for Nanocomposite Perovskite Materials Toward Solar Cells Applications. In: Shalan, A.E., Hamdy Makhlouf, A.S., Lanceros‐Méndez, S. (eds) Advances in Nanocomposite Materials for Environmental and Energy Harvesting Applications. Engineering Materials. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-94319-6_20

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