Research
Printing Perovskite Solar Cells: Reducing Toxicity and Improving Scalability
Perovskite solar cells are one of the newest and most exciting materials in the world of solar cell research. In little over 10 years their lab scale efficiencies have advanced from 8% to over 25%, putting them on a par with market leading silicon solar cells. However, after a decade's worth of interest and investment, this potentially revolutionary solar cell has not made it on to the market yet. There are several important barriers to commercialisation for perovskites, principally:
1. Issues with stability of perovskite materials,
2. Concerns around the use of toxic element such as lead, and,
3. Issues in transitioning to scalable manufacturing processes.
In order to overcome these barriers, we propose a more holistic approach to design and fabrication of perovskite solar cells, which considers both toxicity and scalability, as well electrical efficiency during the optimisation process. The aim of this project to develop safe, stable and printable perovskite solar inks. This will be achieved by developing tin-based perovskite solar cells and exploring the use of ionic liquids in the solvent system to create a stable non-toxic ink that can be used in an inkjet printer. Ionic liquids are an impressive new solvent option for perovskite processing, exhibiting many favourable properties, such as solubility, low toxicity and stability. Most promising of all is the tunability of their viscosity, a key parameter in ink formulation for printing and thin film processing, which is yet to be explored.
The goal is to fully print a tin-based perovskite solar cell in atmospheric conditions. This will be a revolutionary solar cell product that contains no harmful materials, is more easily recyclable and can be fabricated at lower costs.
Solar Skin: Additive manufacturing of fully integrated customised photovoltaic products
The aim of this project is to identify emerging additive manufacturing techniques in printed electronics that could create customisable, flexible, thin film solar cells that can be applied directly to the surface of a product. This involves development of a design tool and manufacturing process capable of printing bespoke solar cells directly onto a wide variety of existing products, including satellites, vehicles, building facades and fabrics. Ultimately, the aim is to apply a ‘Solar Skin’ to an exemplar product capable of providing power at the point of use.
The key objectives of the project are:
1. Objective 1 - Develop a design tool capable of producing optimised solar cell designs for specific products, based on environmental data, material properties and product usage analytics.
2. Objective 2 - Determine the feasibility of fabricating bespoke solar cells on a wide range of substrates using inkjet printing and low temperature annealing processes such as photonic curing.
Solar Powered Refrigeration Systems For Sustainable and Environmental Food Storage in Rural Communities
The aim of this project is to develop a solar powered cooling and refrigeration system with integrated water recovery. The system is designed for rural farming communities, were there is often insufficient and unreliable power sources. Recent research carried out by IMechE shows that in developing nations up to 50% of food is wasted post-harvest, largely due to insufficient cold storage/transport facilities. Solar powered refrigeration could help reduce food waste, increase farmers’ incomes and provide a more sustainable agriculture sector.
Research grants
Printing Perovskite Solar Cells: Reducing Toxicity and Improving Scalability
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
June 2024 - June 2026
Fabrication of largescale nontoxic perovskite solar cells
ROYAL SOCIETY
October 2022 - October 2023
Additive manufacturing of fully integrated customised photovoltaic products
ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
June 2021 - July 2022