A perovskite is any material with a crystal structure similar to the mineral called 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). The general chemical formula for perovskite compounds is ABX3, where 'A' and 'B' are two cations, often of very different sizes, and X is 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.
Lead(II) iodide or lead iodide is a salt with the formula PbI
2. At room temperature, it is a bright yellow odorless crystalline solid, that becomes orange and red when heated. It was formerly called plumbous iodide.
γ-Butyrolactone (GBL) is a hygroscopic colorless, water-miscible liquid with a weak characteristic odor. It is the simplest 4-carbon lactone. It is mainly used as an intermediate in the production of other chemicals, e.g. methyl-2-pyrrolidone. In humans GBL acts as a prodrug for γ-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), and it is used as a recreational CNS depressant with effects similar to those of barbiturates.
Amidines are organic compounds with the functional group RC(NR)NR2, where the R groups can be the same or different. They are the imine derivatives of amides (RC(O)NR2). The simplest amidine is formamidine, HC(=NH)NH2.
Copper(I) iodide is the inorganic compound with the formula CuI. It is also known as cuprous iodide. It is useful in a variety of applications ranging from organic synthesis to cloud seeding.
Piezochromism 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.
Prashant V. Kamat is a Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and a Principal Scientist of Radiation Laboratory, University of Notre Dame. He is affiliated with the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering as a Concurrent Professor. He earned his masters (1974) and doctoral degree (1979) in Physical Chemistry from Bombay University, and carried out his postdoctoral research at Boston University (1979–1981) and University of Texas at Austin (1981–1983).
Methylammonium chloride in an organic halide with a formula of CH3NH3Cl. It is an ammonium salt composed of methylamine and hydrogen chloride. The primary application for the methylammonium halides is as a component of perovskite (structure) crystalline solar cells. Methylammonium iodide is the most commonly used, whereas using the chloride instead of, or as minor substituent to, the iodide provides the ability to tune the absorption, conductivity, and apparent bandgap.
A perovskite solar cell (PSC) is a type of solar cell which 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 caesium lead halide, are cheap to produce and simple to manufacture.
Methylammonium halides are organic halides with a formula of CH3NH3X, where X is Cl for methylammonium chloride, Br for methylammonium bromide, or I for methylammonium iodide. Generally they are white or light colored powders. They are used primarily to prepare light absorbing semiconductors for perovskite solar cells.
Methylammonium bromide in an organic halide with a formula of CH3NH3Br. It is an ammonium salt composed of methylamine and hydrogen bromide. The primary application for the methylammonium halides is as a component of perovskite (structure) crystalline solar cells. Methylammonium iodide is the most commonly used, whereas using the bromide instead of, or as minor substituent to, the iodide provides the ability to tune the absorption, conductivity, and apparent bandgap.
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.
Methylammonium lead halides (MALHs) are solid compounds with perovskite structure and a chemical formula of CH3NH3PbX3, where X = I, Br or Cl. 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, where the lead is substituted by tin. It has a tin-based perovskite structure (ASnX3), where 'A' is a 1+ cation and 'X' is a monovalent halogen anion. The methylammonium tin triiodide (CH3NH3SnI3) has a band gap of 1.2–1.3 eV, while formamidinium tin triiodide has a band gap of 1.4 eV.
Mercouri Kanatzidis is a Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University and Senior Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory.
Tsutomu Miyasaka, is a Japanese engineer in electrochemistry best known for the inventor of perovskite solar cell.
Oxford Photovoltaics Limited is an Oxford University spin-off company in the field of perovskite photovoltaics and solar cells. The company has developed new solar cells that extract more energy from sunshine.
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.
Hemamala Indivari Karunadasa is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Stanford University. She works on hybrid organic – inorganic materials, such as perovskites, for clean energy and large area lighting.
Mohammad Khaja Nazeeruddin is a Swiss chemist and materials scientist specialized in 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.
