| |
| author |
Aline Carla Krüger
| | title |
Design and synthesis of novel pyridine-based
conjugated ligands for 2D perovskite formation and
improved solar cell efficiency
| | abstract |
One of the most pressing needs of the twenty-first century is to explore and
optimize the use of renewable energy sources, among them solar energy. Current
methods to harvest sunlight into usable electricity come as solar panels, which
are made from different semiconductor materials, for example silicon. However,
other materials, such as metal-halide perovskites have interesting electronic
properties that set apart them as one of the most promising candidates in the
next generation of photovoltaics. This thesis focuses on the optimization of
such materials so that more efficient solar panels can be produced. Structurally,
metal-halide perovskites are composed of a general ABX3 lattice, in which the
A and B sites are small organic and metal cations, respectively, while the X is
a halogen. Derived from them is a new class of materials called hybrid or 2D-perovskites that have their A-site occupied by a large and conjugated organic
ligand. They have yielded solar cells with better environmental resistance
compared to traditional perovskites but still output lower overall power. Thus,
one major area of research focuses on the substitution of different ligands to
optimize these materials' efficiencies rendering them more attractive in modern
solar panels. In this research, a series of four novel pyridine-based ligands
was designed and synthesized. And with the desired ligands in hand, 2D-perovskites were assembled and characterized by X-ray diffraction, absorption
and emission spectroscopy. The UV absorption spectra displays new peaks,
indicating that novel hybrid perovskites were produced which is agreement
with photoluminescence and crystallography findings. In addition, solar cell
devices were built and their electronic characterization shows promise. These
results indicate that the pyridine-based ligands are tolerated in the perovskite
lattice and that formation of desired hybrid materials is observed. These new
derivatives contribute to the expansion of the ligand library available for 2D
perovskites and to the search for the best efficiency of solar cell devices.
| | school |
The College of Liberal Arts, Drew University
| | degree |
B.S. (2024)
|
| advisor |
Mary-Ann Pearsall
|
| full text | AKruger.pdf |
| |
