Light Harvesting and Interfacial Materials for High Performance Organic and Perovskite Photovoltaics

  • Light Harvesting and Interfacial Materials for High Performance Organic and Perovskite Photovoltaics

Background

The unsustainable environmental and economic consequences have been increasing rapidly in the world due to the usage of non-renewable and polluting energy sources. In this regard, organic photovoltaics (OPVs) and perovskite solar cells (PSCs) emerge as the most promising choices, in terms of their tunable properties, light weight, mechanical flexibility, ease of processing and low cost over existent inorganic silicon solar cells. Despite the tremendous progress in terms of power conversion efficiency (PCE) of OPVs and PSCs in the recent years, there are still existing issues in both OPVs and PSCs (stability and scalability), which limits their practical compatibility.

Research Project:

The project will centre on the design, synthesis, and characterization of scalable photoactive materials (p-type donor polymers and n -type small molecules) for high performance OPVs and interfacial materials (hole transport, electron transport and passivating materials) for efficient PSCs.  We aim to develop the following organic/inorganic functional materials and establish a correlation between their molecular structure and device performance.

  1. Development of scalable conjugated p-type and n-type polymers for OPVs
  2. Low band gap non-fullerene acceptor molecular materials
  3. Dopant-free hole and electron transporting materials and novel interfacial passivating materials for PSCs
  4. Synthesis of new lead-free and 2D non-toxic perovskite materials

Outcomes

The newly developed photoactive materials will be analysed via wide range of photophysical, thermal, and electrochemical properties that are available at CARF, QUT. Subsequently, new materials will be incorporated into the solar cells to explore their potential as photoactive donor or interfacial material. This project will have a high degree of social impact in terms of reducing CO2 to a acceptable range by cutting down the energy intense fossil-based fuels.

Study Level

  • Vacation Research Experience Scheme
  • Capstone (CVB304)
  • Honours
  • Master of Philosophy
  • PhD

  • Rajesh Kothandaraman (MPhil)