RII Track-2 FEC: Low-Cost, Efficient Next-Generation Solar Cells for the Coming Clean Energy Revolution

布朗大学与内布拉斯加大学林肯分校和罗德岛学院合作，获得了研究基础设施改善轨道2重点EPSCoR*合作（RII轨道2 FEC）奖。该项目的重点是利用钙钛矿（钙钛矿得名于其晶体结构）的化合物开发太阳能电池。该项目包括材料研究，以了解钙钛矿的结构、电学和光学特性，开发用于太阳能电池的无毒钙钛矿材料，提高功率转换效率的实验，以及探索低成本、高效率钙钛矿太阳能电池的规模化工艺。这项合作为初级教师提供指导，预计将在罗德岛州和内布拉斯加州加强研究能力、基础设施和培训熟练劳动力。研究生的教育训练包括创业课程；来自四年制大学（包括密西西比州的Tougaloo学院）的本科生和高中教师参与暑期研究/夏令营。YouTube上的sciitoons将与罗德岛设计学院（Rhode Island School of Design）合作开发，以提高对清洁能源生产中太阳能电池研究的科学认识。技术描述该项目解决了混合钙钛矿太阳能电池（PSCs）发展中的科学和技术挑战，包括：(1)了解溶液沉积机制及其对混合钙钛矿纳米/微观结构的影响；(2)开发溶液处理方法，扩大太阳能电池高通量制造和潜在商业化的工艺；(3)利用等离子体聚光器和串联装置提高电极材料和太阳能电池效率的实验；(4)通过计算和实验验证，探索用于低成本、高效率psc的无铅材料。这项工作包括以薄膜、块状多晶和单晶的形式合成杂化钙钛矿材料；利用各种光谱、显微镜和晶体学方法进行表征；研究光和输运性质以及铁电性与光伏响应之间的相互作用，以提高psc的稳定性。该项目团队将探索可扩展制造的卷对卷印刷和医生刀片涂层等技术，以及碳基电极、等离子体聚光器和串联设备，以提高psc的功率转换效率。该团队还将继续发现和研究无铅钙钛矿系统（碘化锡甲基铵、金属卤化物、氯化铂钾和铋基钙钛矿），以开发用于psc的环保材料。该项目涉及10名教师，16名研究生，17名本科生和1名高中教师的研究，以及12名教师参加太阳能夏令营。K-12的公共宣传活动利用正在进行的项目，重点是可再生能源/太阳能。*刺激竞争性研究的实验计划

Non-technical descriptionThis Research Infrastructure Improvement Track-2 Focused EPSCoR* Collaboration (RII Track-2 FEC) award to Brown University is for a collaboration with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Rhode Island College. The project focuses on the development of solar cells using compounds called perovskites (the name perovskite derives from their crystal structure). The project includes materials research to understand structural, electrical, and optical properties of perovskites, development of non-toxic perovskite materials for use in solar cells, experimentation to enhance power conversion efficiency, and exploration of scale-up processes for low-cost, high efficiency perovskite solar cells. The collaboration provides mentoring for junior faculty and the critical mass effort is expected to enhance research capacity, infrastructure, and train skilled workforce in both Rhode Island and Nebraska. The educational training for graduate student includes courses on entrepreneurship; undergraduates from 4-year colleges (including Tougaloo College in Mississippi) and high school teachers are engaged in summer research/camps. SciToons for YouTube will be developed in partnership with Rhode Island School of Design to increase the scientific awareness of solar cell research for clean energy production.Technical descriptionThe project addresses scientific and technological challenges in the development of hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs) including: (1) Understanding of solution-deposition mechanisms and effects on nano-/micro- structure of hybrid perovskites; (2) development of solution-processing methods and scale-up of processes for high throughput fabrication and potential commercialization of solar cells; (3) experimentation of electrode materials and solar cell efficiency enhancement through plasmonic concentrators and tandem devices; and (4) exploration of lead-free materials for use in low-cost, high-efficiency PSCs through computational and experimental validation. The work involves synthesis of hybrid perovskite materials in the form of thin films, bulk polycrystals, and single crystals; characterization using a variety of spectroscopic, microscopic and crystallographic methods; and studies of optical and transport properties and the interplay between ferroelectricity and photovoltaic response with an aim to improve the stability of PSCs. The project team will explore technologies such as roll-to-roll printing and doctor-blade coating for scalable manufacturing as well as carbon-based electrodes, plasmonic concentrators, and tandem devices to improve the power conversion efficiency of PSCs. The team will also pursue the discovery and studies of lead-free perovskite systems (methylammonium tin iodide, metal halide, potassium platinum chloride, and bismuth-based perovskites) to develop environmentally-safe materials for use in PSCs. The project involves ten faculty members, 16 graduate students, 17 undergraduate students and one high school teacher in research, as well as 12 teachers in summer camps on solar energy. The K-12, public outreach activities leverage ongoing programs and are focused on renewable/solar energy.*Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research