Solution-thermal processing of nanostructured kesterite absorber materials for sustainable solar cell manufacturing

用于可持续太阳能电池制造的纳米结构黄锡锌矿吸收材料的溶液热处理

• 批准号: 463487-2014
• 负责人: Demopoulos, George
• 金额: $ 11.83万
• 依托单位: McGill University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Strategic Projects - Group
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2014-01-01 至 2015-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=558436
• 关键词: Solution; thermal; processing; nanostructured; kesterite

Over the last 5-10 years there has been an unprecedented growth in terms of photovoltaic (PV) research, technology development and commercial solar energy conversion installations. This is driven by the realization that only the harvesting of renewable energy sources can provide sustainable solutions to our global climate change and human economic development challenges. This type of growth however is not sustainable unless PV-generated electricity becomes cost-competitive with conventional power generation. But in addition to being cost-competitive, photovoltaic technology, in order to become widely adopted must rely on earth-abundant non-toxic materials and easily scalable as well as green processes for the fabrication of solar cell modules. Among the various emerging PV technologies, one that can prove truly transformational in meeting the key requirements of low cost and ease of manufacture, high efficiency, stability, and abundance of construction materials, is thin-film solar cells based on solution-processed and sintered inorganic semiconductor nanocrystals. It is indeed our goal in this research in collaboration with several industrial partners to develop such novel nanocrystal thin-film structures by exploiting among other things the highly promising and largely unexplored kesterite semiconductor material family that not only is made of abundant elements (Cu-Zn-Sn-S-Se) but has near-ideal light harvesting capacity. Controlled solution synthesis, deposition, sintering and integration of nanoscale kesterite crystals or layers in thin-film cells with high power conversion efficiencies is in the core of our efforts. The proposed research responds to Canada's strategic need of developing advanced manufacturing capability for solar photovoltaic materials and components to meet the ever-growing renewable energy market ensuring our economic prosperity and sustainability.

在过去的5-10年里，光伏（PV）研究、技术开发和商业太阳能转换装置方面出现了前所未有的增长。这是因为我们认识到，只有收获可再生能源才能为我们的全球气候变化和人类经济发展挑战提供可持续的解决方案。然而，这种增长是不可持续的，除非光伏发电与传统发电相比具有成本竞争力。但是，除了具有成本竞争力之外，为了被广泛采用，光伏技术必须依赖于地球上丰富的无毒材料和易于扩展的以及用于制造太阳能电池模块的绿色工艺。在各种新兴的光伏技术中，可以证明在满足低成本和易于制造，高效率，稳定性和丰富的建筑材料的关键要求方面真正具有变革性的是基于溶液处理和烧结无机半导体纳米晶体的薄膜太阳能电池。我们在这项研究中的目标确实是与几个工业合作伙伴合作，通过利用非常有前途且基本上未开发的锌黄锡矿半导体材料家族来开发这种新型的纳米薄膜结构，该材料家族不仅由丰富的元素（Cu-Zn-Sn-S-Se）制成，而且具有接近理想的光捕获能力。控制溶液合成、沉积、烧结和纳米级锌黄锡矿晶体或层在具有高功率转换效率的薄膜电池中的集成是我们努力的核心。拟议的研究响应了加拿大发展太阳能光伏材料和组件的先进制造能力的战略需求，以满足不断增长的可再生能源市场，确保我们的经济繁荣和可持续性。