Conférence :  « Ingénierie des pérovskites halogénées : du photovoltaïque à la photocatalyse »

Titre en anglais: «Engineering Halide Perovskites from Photovoltaics to Photocatalysis ».

Conférencier : Professeur Andrea Listorti, Department of Chemistry, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy.

Professeure qui invite : Emanuele Orgiu

Metal halide perovskite (MHP) semiconductors are excellent candidates for contemporary optoelectronics innovation, particularly for photovoltaics. Solar cells containing MHPs as absorbing layer have already achieved a power conversion efficiency around 27 %. Nevertheless, a major limitation, still preventing the uptake of the technology, is related to the reduced stability of these devices when exposed to operative conditions. Herein, an effective passivation of MHP surfaces is a key strategy to tackle both the stability and the enhancement of solar cell performances. We have explored in the last years an innovative use of plasma, as a solvent-free, scalable, industrially available and non-invasive processing to enhance MHP solar cells performances [Sol. RRL 2024, 8, 2400178]. The effects of cold plasmas both on lead-based (MAPbI3) [Sol. RRL, 2023, 7, 2300345] and lead-free (FASnI3) [ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2024, 16, 37, 49392] perovskites were investigated in terms of optochemical and morphological modifications and correlated to the performance of the photovoltaic devices. An interesting improvement was observed for the Ar-treated MAPbI3 perovskites, ascribed to a modulation of surface defects, while a newsworthy suppression of the intrinsic tendency of tin (II) to oxidize to tin (IV) was obtained for the N2-plasma treated FASnI3 perovskites. The collection of these results already shows the great versatility and potential of plasma-based techniques for the intelligent modification of metal halide perovskite.

With a diverse focus, material variation in terms of structure/composition is a fundamental approach for the exploitation of MHPs in photocatalysis, a raising, alternative, exploitation front for MHPs.[ Nanomaterials, 2021, 11 (2), 433] Herein the requirements are related to material stability and lead atoms removal, due to the more challenging operational conditions imposed by the application. We recently presented diverse approaches in terms of perovskite structure and composition variations towards the goal, reporting also very promising results in terms of hydrogen evolution. [Cell Reports Physical Science, 2023, 4, 101214]

References:

[1] V. Armenise, et al. (2024) ‘Plasma‐Based Technologies for Halide Perovskite Photovoltaics’, Sol. RRL 2024, 8, 2400178

[2] A. Perrotta et al., (2023) ‘Plasma-Driven Atomic-Scale Tuning of Metal Halide Perovskite Surfaces: Rationale and Photovoltaic Application’, Sol. RRL, 7, 2300345

[3] S. Covella et al., (2024) ‘Plasma-Based Modification of Tin Halide Perovskite Interfaces for Photovoltaic Applications’, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces , 16, 37, 49392

[4] Armenise, V., et al. (2021) Lead-Free Metal Halide Perovskites for Hydrogen Evolution from Aqueous Solutions. Nanomaterials, 11 (2), 433

[5] Romani, L., et al. (2023). “Air- and water-stable and photocatalytically active germanium-based 2D perovskites by organic spacer engineering.” Cell Reports Physical Science, 4, 101214

Biographie : Andrea Listorti is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Bari (Italy). He held various positions in the past, namely at Italian Institute of Technology of Lecce (Italy), Imperial College London (UK), and at the CNR-ISOF of Bologna (Italy). Since 2006, he published more than 120 papers on molecular photophysics, solar fuels, and optoelectronic devices. His current research activity focuses on the fundamental understanding and exploitation of metal halide perovskites in various applications