A perovskite is any material of formula ABX3 with a crystal structure similar to that of the mineral perovskite, which consists of calcium titanium oxide (CaTiO3). The mineral was first discovered in the Ural mountains of Russia by Gustav Rose in 1839 and named after Russian mineralogist L. A. Perovski (1792–1856). 'A' and 'B' are two positively charged ions (i.e. cations), often of very different sizes, and X is a negatively charged ion (an anion, frequently oxide) that bonds to both cations. The 'A' atoms are generally larger than the 'B' atoms. The ideal cubic structure has the B cation in 6-fold coordination, surrounded by an octahedron of anions, and the A cation in 12-fold cuboctahedral coordination. Additional perovskite forms may exist where both/either the A and B sites have a configuration of A1x-1A2x and/or B1y-1B2y and the X may deviate from the ideal coordination configuration as ions within the A and B sites undergo changes in their oxidation states.
Piezochromism, from the Greek piezô "to squeeze, to press" and chromos "color", describes the tendency of certain materials to change color with the application of pressure. This effect is closely related to the electronic band gap change, which can be found in plastics, semiconductors and hydrocarbons. One simple molecule displaying this property is 5-methyl-2-[(2-nitrophenyl)amino]-3-thiophenecarbonitrile, also known as ROY owing to its red, orange and yellow crystalline forms. Individual yellow and pale orange versions transform reversibly to red at high pressure.
Yttrium(III) bromide is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula YBr3. It is a white solid. Anhydrous yttrium(III) bromide can be produced by reacting yttrium oxide or yttrium(III) bromide hydrate and ammonium bromide. The reaction proceeds via the intermediate (NH4)3YBr6. Another method is to react yttrium carbide (YC2) and elemental bromine. Yttrium(III) bromide can be reduced by yttrium metal to YBr or Y2Br3. It can react with osmium to produce Y4Br4Os.
Gallium(III) bromide (GaBr3) is a chemical compound, and one of four gallium trihalides.
GreatCell Solar Limited, previously known as Dyesol, was a solar energy company developing perovskite solar cell 3rd generation thin-film solar cell technologies and materials. The company was previously focused on developing dye-sensitized solar cell technology before shifting focus to perovskite solar cells, and had been since assisting manufacturing partners with the production of perovskite photovoltaic modules. The company was based in Queanbeyan, Australia and opened its manufacturing and research facilities in October 2008. It had expanded to several locations around the world, including the UK and Switzerland, and established joint ventures in South Korea and Singapore.
Acetyl bromide is an acyl bromide compound. As is expected, it may be prepared by reaction between phosphorus tribromide and acetic acid:
Methylammonium chloride in an organic halide with a formula of CH3NH3Cl. It is an ammonium salt composed of methylamine and hydrogen chloride. One potential application for the methylammonium halides is in the production of perovskite solar cells. The methyl group and other hydrogen atoms are bonded covalently to the nitrogen, with the chloride bonded ionically.
CPhos is a phosphine ligand derived from biphenyl. It is a white solid that is soluble in organic solvents.
A perovskite solar cell (PSC) is a type of solar cell that includes a perovskite-structured compound, most commonly a hybrid organic–inorganic lead or tin halide-based material as the light-harvesting active layer. Perovskite materials, such as methylammonium lead halides and all-inorganic cesium lead halide, are cheap to produce and simple to manufacture.
Methylammonium halides are organic halides with a formula of [CH3NH3]+X−, where X is F for methylammonium fluoride, Cl for methylammonium chloride, Br for methylammonium bromide, or I for methylammonium iodide. Generally they are white or light colored powders.
Methylammonium iodide in an organic halide with a formula of CH3NH3I. It is an ammonium salt composed of methylamine and hydrogen iodide. The primary application for methylammonium iodide, sometimes in combination with other methylammonium halides, is as a component of perovskite (structure) crystalline solar cells.
Henry James Snaith is a professor in physics in the Clarendon Laboratory at the University of Oxford. Research from his group has led to the creation of a new research field, based on halide perovskites for use as solar absorbers. Many individuals who were PhD students and postdoctoral researchers in Snaith's group have now established research groups, independent research portfolios and commercial enterprises. He co-founded Oxford Photovoltaics in 2010 to commercialise perovskite based tandem solar cells.
Methylammonium lead halides (MALHs) are solid compounds with perovskite structure and a chemical formula of [CH3NH3]+Pb2+(X−)3, where X = Cl, Br or I. They have potential applications in solar cells, lasers, light-emitting diodes, photodetectors, radiation detectors, scintillator, magneto-optical data storage and hydrogen production.
A tin-based perovskite solar cell is a special type of perovskite solar cell, based on a tin perovskite structure (ASnX3, where 'A' is a monovalent cation, tin is in its Sn (II) oxidation state and 'X' is a monovalent halogen anion). As a technology, tin-based perovskite solar cells are still in the research phase, and are even less-studied than their counterpart, lead-based perovskite solar cells. The main advantages of tin-based perovskite solar cells are that they are lead-free. There are environmental concerns with using lead-based perovskite solar cells in large-scale applications; one such concern is that since the material is soluble in water, and lead is highly toxic, any contamination from damaged solar cells could cause major health and environmental problems.
Tsutomu Miyasaka, is a Japanese engineer in electrochemistry best known as the inventor of the perovskite solar cell.
Oxford Photovoltaics Limited is an Oxford University spin-off company in the field of perovskite photovoltaics and solar cells.
Perovskite nanocrystals are a class of semiconductor nanocrystals, which exhibit unique characteristics that separate them from traditional quantum dots. Perovskite nanocrystals have an ABX3 composition where A = cesium, methylammonium (MA), or formamidinium (FA); B = lead or tin; and X = chloride, bromide, or iodide.
Nam-Gyu Park is Distinguished Professor and Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU)-Fellow at School of Chemical Engineering, SKKU. His research focuses on high efficiency mesoscopic nanostructured solar cells.
Mohammad Khaja Nazeeruddin is an Indian-Swiss chemist and materials scientist who conducts research on Perovskite solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells, and light-emitting diodes. He is a professor at EPFL and the director of the Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Functional Materials at School of Basic Sciences.
Methylammonium tin halides are solid compounds with perovskite structure and a chemical formula of CH3NH3SnX3, where X = I, Br or Cl. They are promising lead-free alternatives to lead perovskites as photoactive semiconductor materials. Tin-based perovskites have shown excellent mobility in transistors which gives them an opportunity to be explored more for solar cell applications.
