Renewable Energies
Our renewable energies thrust is currently working on the development of low-cost, high-efficiency solar cells based on materials of low toxicity and high abundance to address the TW challenge.
In particular, we are investigating Pb-free, metal chalcogenide and perovskite colloidal nanocrystals and their application in thin film solar cells. Our vision is to explore and engineer novel semiconductor compounds that are Pb-free and they possess optoelectronic properties that enable efficient solar harnessing. Our activities cover both synthesis of new materials, the understanding of their structure-properties relationship and their employment in optimized solar cell architectures.
Related Publications:
Infrared solution-processed quantum dot solar cells reaching external quantum efficiency of 80% at 1.35 µm and Jsc in excess of 34 mA cm-2 Y. Bi, S. Pradhan, S. Gupta, M. Z. Akgul, A. Stavrinadis, G. Konstantatos Adv. Mater. 30, 1704928 (2018)
Breaking the open-circuit voltage deficit floor in PbS quantum dot solar cells through synergistic ligand and architecture engineering S. Pradhan, A. Stavrinadis, S. Gupta, S. Christodoulou, G. Konstantatos ACS Energy Lett. 2, 1444-1449 (2017)
Solution-processed solar cells based on environmentally friendly AgBiS2 nanocrystals M. Bernechea, N. Cates Miller, G. Xercavins, D. So, A. Stavrinadis, G. Konstantatos Nature Photon. 10, 521-525 (2016)
The role of surface passivation for efficient and photostable PbS quantum dot solar cells Y. Cao, A. Stavrinadis, T. Lasanta, D. So, G. Konstantatos Nature Energ. 1, 16035 (2016)