A scientific breakthrough could lead to cheaper solar panels.
Advanced halogenated perovskite - a synthetic material with repeating dome crystals - could make cheaper devices that are more resistant to light and heat than silicon, according to researchers led by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). .
Solar energy still accounts for less than 3% of the electricity generated in the United States, largely due to the high cost of producing solar panels.
One way to reduce manufacturing costs is to make solar cells that use cheaper materials than current silicon-based designs, the researchers said. To achieve this, some engineers have turned their attention to halide perovskites; This type of synthetic material has repeated dome crystals.
In theory, perovskite-based solar cells can be made with cheaper and more readily available raw materials than silicon; In addition, they can be made with low energy input and simple manufacturing process.
"Renewable energy is very important," said UCLA professor Yang Yang. "Perovskite changes the game because it can be mass-produced in a way that silicon can't, and we've identified an additive that improves the material."
The downside is that perovskites break down when exposed to light and heat, which is a particular problem for devices designed to harvest energy from the sun.
But the UCLA team has created a way to use perovskite in solar cells while avoiding dangerous conditions. In a recent study published in Nature Materials, scientists added small amounts of ions — electrically charged atoms — from a metal called neodymium directly into perovskites.
The added perovskite not only became more stable when exposed to light and heat, but also converted light into electricity.
"Eyes tend to drive on a perovskite like a car on a highway, causing the material to break," Zhao said. "With neodymium, we have identified a barrier to reduce traffic and equipment protection."
